By Aisha Winfrey | Los Angeles WAVE
CHARLOTTE, N.C — A 16-year-old Black girl who had been missing since late April has been found dead hanging from a tree, according to police and media reports.
Juliana Nzita, who recently moved to North Carolina from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was found earlier this month hanging from a tree near the United House of Prayer for All People Church in Charlotte, police said. Her death has been classified as a suicide.
Authorities said Nzita was reported missing on April 28, according to the North Carolina Beat, an independent local news outlet. Her family searched for her while online posts and tips spread across social media.
Area resident Kenneth Tolbert said he was near the church on May 8 when he spotted what appeared to be the body of a teenage girl hanging from a tree, the outlet reported. Tolbert said he alerted church members and police.
Tolbert reportedly provided video footage showing a small blue chair under a tree and a rope above, with the girl’s feet still close to the ground. A church member reportedly said the area had been checked the day before and saw nothing unusual.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department records confirmed Nzita was pronounced dead at 12:40 p.m. on May 8. The report documented the location and initial findings.
Investigators said they received no response from Nzita’s family when contacted. The church reportedly released no public statement.
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