WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- The search continues Thursday at the National Arboretum for Relisha Rudd, he 8-year-old girl who went missing from DC's largest homeless shelter.. Divers have scoured the National Arboretum and searched a second body of water.
For the second day in a row dozens of police cadet did a grid search and looked in the woods with K-9s for clues of the little girl.
Darryl Caston wonders why the Arboretum hasn't been searched before now? 8-year-old Relisha Rudd was last seen on surveillance 2 years ago, right across the street from the arboretum at the Days Inn.
"They should have looked here sooner,' he said. "The guy was right across the street from here after they looked at Kenilworth the next step should have been here before now. That's how I feel."
The girl's alleged abductor Khalil Tatum was a janitor at DC General, the homeless shelter, where Relisha lived with her mother. Tatum was found dead with a self inflicted gunshot wound.
Relisha's mother, Shamika Young and her boyfriend Antonio Wheeler have been under a cloud of suspicion ever since Relisha went missing.
Relisha's mother has been accused of hindering the investigation, because she didn't report her missing for days. The couple has has never been charged with obstruction of justice.
D.C. City Council is now considering a bill in the girl's name that would make it a misdemeanor if a parent or legal guardian fails to report their missing child under the age of 13 within 24 hours. If the child is 13-17 years old the parent needs to make a report within 48 hours.
The proposed Relisha Rudd law was inspired by a change.org petition created by Rebecca Taylor.
Taylor believes the the punishment should be a felony, a harsher penalty than what the proposed bill calls for.
"There shouldn't be excuses at all. It's a parents responsibility," she said.
"It's sad I hope they find her alive," said Caston.
Relisha Rudd Law is in committee and being considered for adoption
The Mayor's office is reviewing the legislation as well.
