WASHINGTON — Nine years after Relisha Rudd disappeared, police have released an age progression picture in hopes that it will help find the young girl.
Relisha was 8 years old when she was reported missing from a homeless shelter in Northeast, D.C. She would be 17 today.
"We've never given up our search for her and continue to spread awareness about her disappearance," said the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in a tweet Wednesday.
The photo was rereleased by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. March 1, 2023, marks nine years since Relisha was reported missing.
"We'll never stop searching for you," said the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Relisha was last seen with a janitor at D.C. General Family Shelter, Khalil Tatum, where Relisha and her family lived.
Surveillance video captured the moments Relisha and Tatum were seen walking the halls of the shelter at a Holiday Inn Express.
It wasn’t until 18 days later that Relisha's school reported her missing after being absent for so many days.
News of Relisha's disappearance was sent out on March 20 that year saying she was missing and that she was probably with Tatum.
“Between March 1 and March 18, no AMBER Alert was sounded for Relisha Rudd – no national alert went out for her. It was a lot of unaccounted-for time within those 18 days. You know 18 days is a long time for a child to be unaccounted for,” Henderson Long told WUSA9 in 2021.
If you know anything about Relisha’s disappearance or whereabouts, call 202-727-9099. There is a $50,000 reward for information.