Episode 19: Keiosha Felix with guest reader McKenna Roberts

She Goes By Jane

Keiosha Felix is just fifteen years old when she disappears from Duson, Louisiana. Out on a weekend pass from a facility for pregnant and parenting teens, she’s set to visit her paternal aunt on the weekend of April 28-29th, 2012. On April 30th, she’s reported missing. Her paternal aunt and cousin said she left the night before with someone they didn’t see. Later, her cousin will say that she heard from Keiosha after April 30th which is used as evidence that she is a runaway, having left her aunt’s home with the intention of not coming back.

Very little information is available about the last time Keiosha was seen, but her young child is moved to state care and she stays labeled a runaway for nearly two months. Her maternal aunts, though, know she wouldn’t have left on her own without her child whom she loved dearly. One aunt maintains that Keiosha didn’t like going to her paternal aunt’s because of her paternal aunt’s boyfriend.

By summer, Keiosha is relabeled as a missing person and swiftly following this four individuals including her paternal aunt, her aunt’s boyfriend, her cousin, and the boyfriend’s brother are arrested. Despite this, upheaval in the Duson police department leaves the lead investigator on suspension with pay, the police chief lodging accusation after accusation after his own employee while rumors swirl about his own connection to Keiosha’s paternal relatives, and the case floundering as one by one those arrested are let go.

Keiosha’s case becomes less about a young kid missing from home and more about the ensuing drama. Still, her story is a stark reminder of how we treat stories of young Black girls and teen moms. Keiosha deserves to have her story told, and her family deserves answers.

People and Cases Mentioned in this Episode:

Keiosha Felix (unsolved missing persons case)

Michaela “Mickey” Shunick (solved missing persons case and solved murder case)

Lisa Pate (solved missing persons case and solved murder case)

Danielle Thibodeaux (unsolved case)