CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Detroit police and several other law enforcement agencies searched a pond Wednesday in Clinton Township in connection to the disappearance of Na'Ziyah Harris, a 13-year-old Detroit girl who was last seen in early January.
Chopper 7 was over the scene of the pond in the area of 14 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue. The search ended for the day around 8 p.m. Officials plan to continue searching for Na'Ziyah on Thursday.
Tamara Smith is the Detroit police commissioner for District 1. Smith personally knows Na'Ziyah's father and has been handing out fliers to help find the young teenager.
“I have known her father all of my life. We’re childhood friends. He’s extremely concerned," Smith said. "(He's) like any father, any parent would be, just heartbroken from all of this.”
Detroit Police would not say what tips led them to the pond in Clinton Township or if anything was recovered. There are still no suspects in custody at this time.
See our video from Chopper 7 below
Authorities said Na'Ziyah was last seen on Jan. 9 exiting a school bus at the intersection of Cornwall Street and 3 Mile Drive. That's about a quarter mile from her home.
Detroit police took over the investigation last week from the Detroit Public Schools Community District Department of Public Safety.
Investigators said they don’t think Na’Ziyah was abducted initially, but they won’t say if they think she willingly went off with someone.
“We’re going to exhaust everything geared toward bringing her home alive. And what we’re hopeful of is that she’s with one of her friends somewhere, maybe not even in the city of Detroit or in the state of Michigan," Detroit Police Department Chief James White said.
See our report from February below
While no arrests have been made, the chief said last month that suspects are being questioned.
“We're praying for the safe return," Platinum Jones, a resident, said. "Everybody I know... we're all looking for her. We're all waiting for her."
Na'Ziyah' neighbor Gregory Hyte said, “My friends, my family, my daughters, they’ve been looking for her. They have her picture, and we're just trying to bring her home safe. Get some closure.”
He said he last saw Na'Ziyah on their block the day of his brother's funeral. That was the day before she disappeared.
Anyone with information is asked to call 313-596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. There is a $2,500 reward for information.
