Hidden True Crime - 14-Year-Old Found Dismembered?! | The Heartbreaking Case of Emily Pike

Episode Date: March 16, 2025

The remains of 14-Year-Old Emily Pike were recently found in Globe, Arizona. This heartbreaking case is a stark reminder of the need for awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. About Hid...den True Crime: What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime Read less Our Sponsors:* Check out Acorns: https://acorns.com/HIDDENTRUECRIME* Check out Acorns: https://acorns.com/HIDDENTRUECRIME* Check out Armoire and use my code HIDDENTRUECRIME for a great deal: https://www.armoire.style* Check out Effecty and use my code HIDDENTRUECRIME for a great deal: https://www.effecty.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code HIDDENTRUECRIME for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/hidden-a-true-crime-podcast1836/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:01:59 While Emily's loved ones are still searching for answers surrounding her death, they are also hoping that the situation will help put a stop to the ever-growing number of missing and murdered indigenous women in our country. Now, I have to warn you, the details of this case are as gruesome as they are confusing. But it is so important that we share Emily's story because as of right now, her killer is still at large. Emily Carla Pike was born to parents Stephanie Dosella and Jensen Pike on May 16th, 2010. She grew up alongside her siblings, Jasper Destiny, Damari, and Josiah on the San Carlos Apache Reservation in southeastern Arizona. The reservation covers 1.8 million acres of Sonoran Desert and Alpine Forestland and spans over the counties of Gila, Graham, and Pinaul. Emily was known for her soft, spoken, sweet, and caring demeanor. She loved art, painting, the color pink, animals, and she even wanted to go to college to become a veterinarian.
Starting point is 00:03:07 She was extremely close to her extended family as well as her family and was named after her paternal great-grandmother, Emma Pike. She had two cousins around the same age, and their names were Jaden and Tyrea, who called themselves the trio. They were always spending time together laughing, listening to K-pop and making memories. And while Emily's life did sound happy, for the most part, her family did have its struggles. Her father, Jensen, is currently in prison serving a sentence for criminal damage and has been in and out for various charges over the course of Emily's childhood. Her mother, who goes by Steph, has struggled with addiction in the past, but as of December for 2024. She posted about getting sober. Steph recently talked about spending more quality time with
Starting point is 00:03:55 her children who had been living with her mother, Frida, and family members were encouraging Steph to secure a job and new home for her family. And it seemed as though she was moving in the right direction. Regardless, these dynamics undoubtedly have an effect on children, especially in those early teenage years. Emily's loved ones have stated that she started struggling with her mental health and at some point, Emily was taken into custody by the San Carlos Apache Tribe Social Services. It was decided that Emily would go stay at a group home over 100 miles away in Mesa, Arizona, near Phoenix, because they could provide her with better resources than on the reservation. Well, the group home where Emily was staying is owned by a company called Sacred Journey Inc.
Starting point is 00:04:42 And it actually wasn't the first time Emily had spent time there over the years. I learned that this organization has several locations across the Mesa area, and they serve girls ranging from ages 7 to 17. On their website, their philosophy and purpose says, quote, we believe that every child has a right to grow up in a secure nurturing environment where they will receive caring and emotional support from a trusting adult who will instill a sense of hope and self-pride so that each child may grow to their fullest potential. Studies have shown that the impact of intergenerational abuse can have a silical effect on families for generations.
Starting point is 00:05:24 The purpose and main goal of Sacred Journey Inc. is to break the cycle of intergenerational abuse through strengthening children and their families, end quote. The description of their program says, quote, Sacred Journey Inc. utilizes a holistic therapeutic approach to provide each child with a supportive, non-judgmental, and culturally basic experience. variance so that each child can enhance and develop life skills for future success once they meet service plan goals. Sacred Journey Inc. will work in partnership with the referral agency, placing a child, the child's family, identified service providers, and pull from the natural resources in the community in a combined effort to ensure that each child's individual needs are met, end quote. So for a child to be admitted, they must either be referred by the Arizona Department of Children's Safety
Starting point is 00:06:11 or Tribal Social Services. And during Emily's most recent stay, she was able to develop a few friendships with the other girls and maintained as much contact as she could with her family. Maria. Hi, Raya. I wanted to say that I miss you so much and I really hope I'll try to see if you can come visit me next time. I'll keep backing them about it so you can come see me and that I love you so much, even though you might say that's gay, but I still love you. She always says that whenever I say I love you, she says, you okay. She said something like that, but yeah, I love you and I'll be doing good.
Starting point is 00:06:49 And, yeah, just have a good resty date. Yeah, I love me and have a good day. She decorated her room with lights and plushies, and every Friday would sit and do nails with fellow residents. I was able to speak, actually, to a few girls who stayed as Sacred Journey. And one stated that they are only able to have cell phones if it's approved by their caseworker, most do not. They can use a computer with permission.
Starting point is 00:07:13 and we do know through photos of Emily's time there, the Emily's family did visit her a few times as well during her stay. She spoke to her cousins to let them know that she would be coming home soon, and they made plans to go on a shopping trip when the trio, her two cousins, reunited. However, despite these seemingly good spirits, it's obvious that Emily wasn't very happy staying at this group home. The Mesa police even responded to five separate incidents, of her running away spanning back to
Starting point is 00:07:46 2023. The last date that Emily ran away was on January 27th, 2025, this year. Only this time, she wouldn't be returned. According to a friend staying at the group home, earlier that day, Emily asked the staff if she could use the computer to talk to her mother. She was reportedly told no. And later on, a local church group
Starting point is 00:08:11 came to conduct some activities with the girls in the home. Another friend stated that Emily talked about wanting to go meet up with a boy she met during guitar lessons and had developed a crush. It's thought that she used the church group being at the group home that day as a distraction and an opportunity to sneak out. What it looked like was that the church was there and that served as a distraction of when Emily left. She left because she wanted to go out and see the boy that she liked, and she wanted to talk to him. She either used the back door, she used the window, and she left as everyone was distracted.
Starting point is 00:08:50 My time being there, I've seen many, many kids run away from this group home. She apparently slipped out one of her bedroom windows and was last seen on surveillance footage wearing a pink and gray shirt. She was walking by the intersection of McElip's Road and Mesa Drive, or the group home. At around 7.35 p.m. that night, staff realized that Emily was gone and they called the Mesa Police Department to report that she had run away. When they weren't able to locate Emily, the Mesa Police Department reported Emily as missing to the National Crime Information Center that same night. And since the situation did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert, flyers were
Starting point is 00:09:34 instead made and distributed online and in the Mesa area, listing Emily as a runway juvenile. In a comment, police stated that it would have been up to the group home to contact Emily's case manager, who then would have contacted her family and Emily's tribe. However, that, unfortunately, is not what happened. And Emily's mother step wasn't even told that her daughter was missing until almost a week later. It's really heartbreaking to see that. It's really heartbreaking to see the situation unfold through Steph's Facebook post. Starting from the first day that she learned Emily was gone. On February 1st, 2025, she posted on Facebook, quote, oh God, please watch over my baby girl, Emily. Please let her be safe. Please let someone find her. God, please, I beg you. Watch over her.
Starting point is 00:10:26 Please help find her. Thank you. The next day, Steph wrote, quote, Emily, I hope and pray you're okay and that someone finds you safe and sound. Please anyone pray for my daughter for a safe return, end quote. And then in another post, she wrote, if you live in Mesa or Phoenix, could you please help and look out for my daughter, Emily Pike, for a safe return. Oh, God, help me find her. Please let her be safe and warm. Guide her way back. Let someone find her. Don't let anyone hurt her. Oh, God, my heart hurts. Please, if you could help and keep her in all of your prayers. end quote. And then on February 17th, Steph wrote again, quote, I hope and pray so hard. All I want right now is my daughter, Emily. Nothing else matters. I just want my baby back. God, please, I beg you, guide her back to me. End quote. The next day someone asked Steph if Emily had been found yet, and she replied, no, the police are still looking. I wish I lived near or had enough gas money to go searching for her, but I don't. I keep praying and staying positive. I know that many people will say that they would have been out trying
Starting point is 00:11:38 to find Emily, but I think it's important to remember that financial constraints really affect more than some of us can even imagine. Regardless of any judgment, not having a vehicle or having the money for gas to travel over 100 miles away is something that millions of people deal with. It is absolutely heartbreaking that she wasn't able to just drop everything and immediately drive like some people may have the resources to do. Emily's mother did not. And even more tragically, what Steph didn't know was that during the time of these posts that she was making, police had already made a horrifying discovery. It hasn't been said if there was a specific organized search for Emily because she was considered a runaway. However, at the same time, there was another girl missing and apparently a search going on for her, this other girl.
Starting point is 00:12:29 And it was on February 14th, 2025, that remains were low. located in Heala County off US 60. The Woody area was near Mile Marker 277 on Forest Service Road 355 and just northeast of the city of globe. Given the state of the remains, which we will discuss in just a moment, they had not yet been identified on February 14th. And so when Steph was writing her social media posts, these remains were still a mystery to law enforcement. However, over two weeks later, on February 27th, an internal sheriff's memo began circulating online that the remains belonged to a young Native American female. The father of the other missing girl was sent the memo, but it was confirmed that it was not his daughter.
Starting point is 00:13:20 And so he decided to post the memo on Facebook to notify anyone who had a missing daughter, niece, or granddaughter to check and see if the remains belonged to their family member. Well, the father was quickly asked to remove the post because that memo was intended for law enforcement only, but it wasn't taken down before people grabbed screenshots. Stilling this case, true crime correspondent Brianna Whitney, with us now. I'm sure not very happy that this information was leaked, given the details in this case. It's very sensitive. It's very disturbing. Right.
Starting point is 00:13:54 There's definitely a massive investigation underway. But now that it's out there, people are asking the questions. It really does appear in internal press. released from the Heala County Sheriff's Office was leaked publicly and posted on Facebook, which revealed gruesome and extensive details about the remains of a young Native American girl giving insight into that investigation. In an updated public post, Heala County Sheriff's Office stated the original post was supposed to be for law enforcement agencies only before it was leaked, but did not say any information was incorrect when we asked. Tragically, Steph was finally called
Starting point is 00:14:28 and asked to provide a DNA sample. And later that day, made another post confirming that the remains belong to her Emily. She wrote, quote, why God? Why my baby? I love you, Emily, so much, and I'll cherish all the good times we had baby girl. I can't believe you're gone. Rest in peace, Emily, mommy loves you. And quote. Now, those posts from a grieving mother are difficult for me to read. But the details I'm about to describe when it comes to Emily's murder, I just want to be. want to issue another trigger warning because I have to tell you that precious Emily's remains were not all found in one piece. And there are actually still parts of Emily that are missing. On that Valentine's Day, February 14, 2025, a lieutenant from Heala County Sheriff's Office
Starting point is 00:15:22 received a call from some people who were walking the trails in the area and located these large black contractor-grade trash bags. They reportedly investigated the backs and they located body parts. Yes, parts. In one bag, Emily's head and torso and her head and face showed visible signs of trauma. Her legs were located in a separate back from her torso, but her arms and hands have still not been recovered. Her cause of death has obviously been ruled a homicide, and it has been speculated that her hands and arms may have been taken if she fought the attacker and had her murderer's DNA on her arms or under her fingernails. While the Mesa County Sheriff's Office was originally assigned the case, Gila County has taken over the lead for the investigation and is
Starting point is 00:16:16 receiving help from the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the San Carlos Epascona tribal police. As of now, they have not released any information on potential suspects, but they have stated that they are following up on tips and leads. They have since asked for anyone with potential information, such as surveillance footage from the Mesa area or the area where she was located to call the Gila County Sheriff's Office Detective at 928, 200, 2352. The Bureau of Indian Affairs Special Agent at 505, 917, 7830, or the San Carlos Apache Tribal Police Detective at 928-475-1755. So since this story broke, many people obviously have a lot of questions about the group
Starting point is 00:17:08 home where Emily was staying. This is primarily because not only did she manage to run away several times, but media outlets have reported that there's been 30 missing children out of the same facility. in the last three years alone. When people hear a number like that, speculation about potential trafficking, abuse and negligence starts to circulate. Before we get into some of the things
Starting point is 00:17:29 that I learned from the girls I spoke to, as well as more accounts online, I want to share a question and answer interview that was conducted by True Crime, Arizona's Brianna Whitney and the group Holmes manager. In the interview, Brianna asks, is it mandatory to report the kids missing when they leave? What is that protocol with the police department?
Starting point is 00:17:52 The manager answered Brianna saying, yes, the group home must report all children as missing, even if they leave to go to the store without permission. Majority of our reports are regarding the same child leaving without permission. So same child, different missing person's report. The next question was, quote, when a kid runs away, why doesn't the staff go search for them? Well, the manager responded, quote,
Starting point is 00:18:19 we are a standard group home. We are a hands-off facility. We will never put a hand on a child. The only reason to ever touch a child is to keep them safe from harm. So, for example, we put a hand on them if they're running into ongoing traffic when upset. We have been known to call the Mesa police and stay on the phone and follow our children until police assist us, which is always immediately when our children are a danger to themselves or to others, end quote. The next question was, are there 30 missing children? How many of those are accounted for now or how many have come back?
Starting point is 00:18:58 The manager said, quote, no, there are not 30 missing children from our home. All of our children who have been reported missing have been accounted for. Those children who did not return to the home were placed in other facilities for many different reasons, including the higher level of care for their safety. safety always comes first, end quote. Next, Brianna asked, quote, why are they running away in the first place? Is there a better way to prevent them from running away in the first place? Well, the manager responded, children run away for many different reasons,
Starting point is 00:19:33 including missing their family, missing their friends because they are not used to following rules and structure because they have mental health conditions, etc. The state has an amazing system set up for children to visit with their families. With permission from guardians, the group home helps with visitations as well as to ensure visitation is increased when possible, end quote. In this next question, I think Freyana was probably expecting a more detailed answer. She asks, what happened the day Emily went missing? Did you call Mesa Police Department right away? Well, the manager simply answered, the group home staff followed all protocol, end quote.
Starting point is 00:20:12 Next, Brianna asked, do you believe the public? has a misconception of the group home. And the manager responded, quote, yes, I realize people don't have all the facts. We trust law enforcement to provide justice for Emily. Our group home puts everything we can into our children. We have been open for 24 years. We are still in contact with 95% of the children who have lived in our home. We have children who have graduated college, who are currently in college, who have amazing, successful businesses, who have large, beautiful families. We parent our children and sometimes their families. We are all about reunification of children and families. We do the best we can with our children to make sure that they have the best chance at a bright future.
Starting point is 00:20:56 We want to create the most normal environment for them possible. They take vacations, participate in sports, attend sports events. We treat our children as if we have birthed them ourselves. All of our children receive mentors. Right now we are hurting. Right now we are devastating. Lastly, Brianna asked, how long has this group home been open? And do you have all native kids from the reservations? The manager replied, quote, the group home has been open for 24 years. The owner of the group home has been working in the field of children and families for 35 years. She has a 35 year history of advocating for children and families.
Starting point is 00:21:36 The group home has many contracts. Also, children are placed in group homes for safety when all other resources have been exhausted. Group homes are not a punishment. They are a temporary support resource. And we ask that the public allow the police to complete their investigation for Emily's sake and for the sake of her family. Her soul deserves to be at peace. She did not deserve this, end quote. The Department of Child Services also released a statement about the investigation and the group home.
Starting point is 00:22:06 In it, they said, quote, like the community, the department was shocked and saddened to learn about the horrific murder of Emily Pike. We support law enforcement in their efforts to find and hold accountable the person who committed this heinous crime and all those who target vulnerable children, particularly those in foster care. At this time, the department does not believe any action taken or not taken by the group home caused the terrible outcome in this case. We have opened a licensing inquiry to determine whether appropriate steps were taken by the group home during this incident, end quote. Most people don't realize how much their personal information is being bought and sold every day.
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Starting point is 00:25:38 That's armoire, A-R-M-O-I-R-E dot style slash hidden true crime to get up to 50% off your first month and never worry about what to wear again. It is Ryan Seacrest here. There was a recent social media trend which consisted of flying on a plane with no music, no movies, no entertainment. But a better trend would be going to chumba casino.com. It's like having a mini social casino in your pocket.
Starting point is 00:26:02 Chumba Casino has over 100 online casino-style games all absolutely free. It's the most fun you can have online and on a plane. So grab your free. Welcome bonus now at ChumbaCasino.com. Sponsored by Chumba Casino. With all of that being said, one question that I wish would have been asked is why Emily's family and tribe were not notified as soon as Emily ran away, especially given that Emily requested to speak to her mother earlier in the day. It could have been assumed that Emily was trying to go home on her own. They could have asked her mother over the course of that first week if Emily had arrived back on the reservation. If they had heard from her, all of which seems like a natural
Starting point is 00:26:48 first course of action. From the girls I spoke to regarding this group home, a majority believe that the owner has her heart in the right place with helping and caring for the residents. It seems to be other staff that may be causing some of the girls to want to run away or feel like they aren't being cared for with compassion. Granted, like the manager said, many girls coming to these group homes may not be used to structure rules and teenagers generally don't like being told what to do. However, I do just want to share with you a couple of things that were shared with me. The first girl that I spoke to stated, quote, in my experience, there's a few staff that have come in and treated the girls, including myself horribly. They tend to punish some girls harder than others.
Starting point is 00:27:33 However, all of that mistreatment that did happen within homes themselves. And the CEO and other high-ranking staff were nothing but amazing. Most girls ran away because they were upset about not having much freedom. They relied heavily on the police to discipline the kids in the group home. I probably had the cops called on me over a hundred times, the first being the day before my 11th birthday. As for mental health treatment, they had us go to therapy, or different programs depending on our case.
Starting point is 00:28:06 For me, as soon as I got there, I was immediately put on medication. When you are having a mental breakdown or self-harming, they will call the cops and a crisis team. The staff was the problem. In my case, some staff called my mental health and tendencies a cry for attention. And in turn, I did not get the help I needed there.
Starting point is 00:28:26 Another former resident stated, quote, this is a terrible place. I ended up being placed there for a year because my mother was an addict, my father was abusive. Ten years later, and I still have nightmares about the place. What was supposed to be my protection was worse than what they were protecting me from. I was treated like a criminal. I was denied medical attention multiple times, assaulted and starved. I will never forget. I was just a kid and didn't deserve any of it. Evil people, evil business. And quote. And one mother wrote in an online review, quote, this is a terrible place.
Starting point is 00:29:02 Kids run away, not supervise at all. If your kid has any serious problems, they should not go here. Makes the kids worse, end quote. And finally, a girl who was in the group at the same time as Emily told me, quote, I left the group home because I can't be in that house knowing they let this happen to Emmy, end quote. Now again, I am not cheering these things to say that it's the group homes fault at all. or judge the owners or anything like that. However, I do feel like this is helpful to know what headspace Emily may have been in when she decided to leave and what was done or not done to keep
Starting point is 00:29:45 her and the other girls safe. The fact that the girls mentioned to me that Emily was asking to use the computer to contact her mom and that most of them are not granted access to cell phones. To me, this is an important detail. Her friends stated that she just really wanted to. to go home. And if she wasn't able to contact anyone via phone, well, maybe people believe that it's possible she may have tried to hitchhike. Someone may have seen her walking and offered to take her home, but then obviously had other plans. I feel like she just ran away and she got, she was trying to hitchhike back to her reservation to see her parents. And she just got picked up by the wrong person. When Emily realized she was in trouble, Emily would have had no way of calling anyone for help.
Starting point is 00:30:36 Another indication that she may have thought the person was taking her home and that she might have tried to get this ride or hitchhiked is that the area where she was found is pretty close to her reservation. If you see here on this map, whoever took Emily would have traveled on Highway 60, but instead of turning right toward the reservation on Highway 70, they continued. going straight. However, without autopsy results, there is no way of telling where or when Emily was killed how long she was with this person or any of those details. A former FBI agent named Jim Eagleston commented on the case and stated that the FBI is probably going to begin looking into cell tower data. They could try to match up any phone numbers that were in Mesa around the time Emily disappeared and the area where she was found to locate suspects. for questioning. They also have the black contractor garbage bags, which may contain other forms of
Starting point is 00:31:36 DNA. We can assume that the boy, her friend mentioned, has already been cleared, and Egleston believes that the killer was likely someone older and someone who may have had experience. A frightening thing to consider the killer having other experience since he is allegedly still out there. Eggleston says when it comes to Leeds, the FBI is likely starting with technology. Cellular analysis, looking not only at her devices, but what cell phones might have been in the area where she was found and in the area where she went missing. Is there something in common there that could identify a single person? They'll also be looking for clues from behavior or personality traits of the killer, especially at the crime scene. Did the killer leave behind
Starting point is 00:32:24 a signature or something that would have meant something to them. Is there a reason they took Emily's hands and arms? She may have fought back. She may have scratched the person or people who attacked her. And therefore, their DNA might be under her fingernails. And they were possibly aware of that and trying to prevent that from being discovered. You know, a sexual sadist would commit those types of crimes either because of the pleasure they'd derive from it or again to try to cover up what they've done.
Starting point is 00:32:53 Emily's death has definitely put a very needed spotlight on the crisis of violence toward the indigenous population. And also how teenage runaways are not necessarily seen as top priority for law enforcement or public concern until something terrible happens. Like what happened to Emily? Thousands of people from various tribal nations and surrounding community members have come together to support Emily's family, pay their respects and demand. that her killer be brought to justice. Her story has also sparked a renewed push for House Bill 2281, which would create an amber alert style system for missing indigenous people. This past Monday on March 10th, more than 100 people marched outside the Arizona state capital urging lawmakers to take action. The bill ultimately passed unanimously and will now go to
Starting point is 00:33:51 the Senate. One of the bill's sponsors, state representative, President of Teresa Martinez said that she believes that native women and girls go missing and are murdered at a higher rate for two specific reasons. The first being that tribal reservations are in remote areas with fewer people to witness a crime. The second is because, in her opinion, there is a disconnect between tribal law enforcement and state and federal law enforcement agencies. Martinez believes that the new legislation will save lives. And I would like to suggest there is another third reason, my reason that I'm putting out here. And that reason is that Native women and girls missing Native girls and women simply do not get the media attention
Starting point is 00:34:37 that white females tend to receive. And less publicity often means fewer resources. Emily's family members are proponents of the bill as well, though, I want to say. Her uncle Alred Pike, Jr. who is a former Apache tribal councilman stated, quote, in the long run, this will help a lot in all of Indian country. 22 tribes just in Arizona. Maybe we would have been able to locate Emily a whole lot sooner before this happened if we had such a system. I tell my family, we can't get stuck on the what ifs because it's going to prolong the pain we have. The right now is what we can do to help improve things. So this doesn't happen. again."
Starting point is 00:35:21 Emily's community has honored her in other ways as well with tattoo artists Myron Star, A.J. Larson, Felicia Garcia, Erica Raymond, slime grindle, and Carrie Curley, all helping to create this beautifully painted mural on a water tower located on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. She needs her face to be out there. She needs people to know her name. A.J. Larson is a local valley artist, his medium, usually tattoo ink. But this weekend, he chose paint and a water tower on San Carlos Apache tribal land. The nature of the case is what really compelled me.
Starting point is 00:35:57 AJ, two of his friends and the larger community coming together to create a mural honoring Emily Pike. The 14-year-old was found on Valentine's Day dismembered off the U.S. 60 Northeast of Globe. I think it overwhelmed me with emotion, anger, sadness, and just me being an artist. I have only one outlet to express that and that's through art. Without a plan, AJ says he dove into the mural learning along the way about Emily and her tribe. Hundreds of people coming to place their own handprint in red, Emily's family even coming to visit. Out of the other projects I've done, this is the most powerful one. It showed me, though, that this mural wasn't just a painting.
Starting point is 00:36:43 It was a part like medicine and the people that. They needed that. People were invited out to place red handprints along the bottom as well. A red hamprint across the mouth has become a symbolic representation of the silence and lack of interest given to victimized indigenous women who many, as we know, end up missing or murdered. Hundreds of people could be seen with these red hamprints at Emily's vigils where traditional Apache songs and dances were performed in her honor. One performer named Nathan Nash stated, quote, this little girl has brought us all together, just as all of our missing and murdered indigenous relatives bring us together.
Starting point is 00:37:27 This isn't normal and this shouldn't be happening. Let's wake this country up, end quote. Well, I do hope that this video helps us shine light on this horrible tragedy. I will admit that there are creators and organizations run by indigenous people were far more educated on the topic of MMIW or missing and murdered indigenous women. One of these organizations is not our native daughters who wrote in a Facebook post, quote, for years, we've fought for the rights of indigenous women addressing the critical gaps in justice surrounding violence against Native women. The crisis of missing, murdered, and indigenous women
Starting point is 00:38:10 persist because far too many have done little to nothing to address it. You can help by raising awareness within your circle, whether through discussion at meetings in your community or school. The first step in creating change is speaking out. As an indigenous women-led organization, we believe centering MMIW advocacy is crucial to achieving justice and empowerment for our communities, but we can't undo the injustices in investigations or the lack of media coverage, we can raise our voices to demand change. The statistics on MMIW have remained stagnant for over a decade, and it's time to break the silence. We honor those we've lost, and our hearts remain heavy in the fight for justice, end quote. There is also the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center,
Starting point is 00:39:02 the coalition to stop violence against Native women, Native Hope.org, and countless others who dedicate their lives to bringing awareness to cases like Emily's. At one of her vigils, Emily's cousin, Jaden, fought back tears. As she said, we're not going to have the trio anymore. She ran off and none of us really knew like she ran off
Starting point is 00:39:27 until some of us seen the missing reperson report of her or they finally told our grandma and then a month later you they come down to our house and they tell us that she's called that she's no longer with us and in this footage you can see just how lost and devastated her mom's step looks she later said quote she was just innocent she was a baby and quote my heart is hurting i can't handle it her life was taken too soon it's hard for me imagine what happened to her we all know that no matter how old our children are they're forever our babies and i just feel so sad for emily's entire family she had her whole life ahead of her taken by some sick person who is still out there this is for emily and what happened her
Starting point is 00:40:21 justice needs to be served nothing like this should ever happen to anybody and there's so many more of our relatives and our native country that that still need justice as well. I hope the awareness and the amount of agencies investigating this case means that the person responsible will be found before they can hurt anyone else, and we can see Emily get the justice she deserves. If your job at a healthcare facility includes disinfecting against viruses,
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