We cannot even imagine what this mother must be going through…
A mom in New Jersey is searching for her daughter who has been missing for over two weeks. According to PIX11, JaShyah Moore was last seen after making a trip out to Poppie’s Deli Store in East Orange, New Jersey, on October 14. That day, her mother Jamie Moore told the outlet her 14-year-old visited the U.S. Food Market on Central Avenue at around 7:30 a.m. to purchase juice and paper towels — but lost the EBT card she used to pay for the groceries:
“She came back and she said, ‘Mommy, I lost the card.’ I just said, ‘Backtrack your steps.’”
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However, when JaShyah never returned home after an hour, her mother went out and searched several delis in the area to look for her, but she could not find her child. Jamie later tracked down a police officer and reported the teenager missing. No one has heard from her since. The mom now wants answers about her daughter’s sudden disappearance, expressing to PIX11:
“Nothing would keep her away from me. Nothing would keep her away from her little brother. And she’s such a smart girl. She would not stay out overnight. She would not want me to worry.”
Heartbreaking…
The East Orange Police Department, FBI, and state police have since joined forces in the hopes of finding JaShyah. Police have searched their family’s home on Amherst Street, removing the teen’s video games, personal documents, and even the mom’s phone since her daughter doesn’t have one. When she visited the first store on October 14, the clerk told PIX11 that investigators took some camera footage that showed someone paying for the juice and candy the girl wanted:
“Somebody came in with her and paid for her.”
Another employee then revealed that the man was wearing a baseball hat and mask, adding:
“He talked with her; he pay and go.”
JaShyah also visited another store besides Poppies on the morning she vanished without a trace, but it is unclear if she did so before or after going to that deli.
According to the outlet, JaShyah was set to testify against her stepfather over an alleged 2020 domestic violence situation before a grand jury. Family member Yolanda Moore said that the husband had allegedly hit the young girl, revealing:
“I saw him punch my niece twice in the face. And this guy’s in his 30s. And he’s really tall and he’s really big.”
We cannot help but immediately wonder if these two situations are somehow connected. However, a public information officer for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Katherine Carter says they do not believe her disappearance has anything to do with the domestic violence case, saying:
“The domestic violence case is proceeding against the defendant. We are aware of the fact that the mother reported the daughter missing. The missing person’s case is being handled by municipal authorities in East Orange. At this point, the domestic violence assault and the status of the missing person do not appear to be related; however, it is being monitored by law enforcement.”
Here is hoping JaShyah returns home safe and sound soon. We’re keeping her mom in our thoughts during this difficult time. If you have any information about her whereabouts, please reach out to the East Orange Police department at 973-266-5041, 973-266-5030, or 973-266-5060.
[Image via East Orange City Hall/Facebook]
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