The latest development in the Jamaica drug‑trafficking case has sparked fresh questions, especially after a TikTok video posted by Teraiya’s mother, under the account ShezzaG , appeared to feature prominent Jamaican attorney Isat Buchanan , the same lawyer known internationally for his work on the Vybz Kartel appeal. In the clip, Buchanan can be heard saying, “We’re not saying anything to the people — watch and wait,” a statement that immediately ignited speculation online. The video was captioned, “We have another date. Stay tuned,” strongly suggesting that a new court date may soon be announced. @shezreal7 We have another date. Stay tuned people, thank you for all your prayers and support🙏🏽@Isat Buchanan @savanah @Teraiya #fyp #justice4teraiya ♬ original sound - ShezzaG Despite the gravity of the situation, Teraiya appeared to be in noticeably good spirits in the footage, standing alongside her mother with smiles, warmth, and what looked like genuine relief. Suppor...
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Across the UK, a chilling pattern is emerging — one that should have triggered national outrage, emergency press conferences, and wall‑to‑wall coverage. Instead, four Black women and girls have been found dead in bodies of water after being reported missing, and the silence is deafening. Blessing Olusegun, Taiwo Balogun, Samaria Ayanle, and Edna Mmbali Ombakhoshould be household names. Instead, their families are left fighting for answers while police repeatedly label their deaths “non‑suspicious,” “accidental,” or “unexplained.”
21‑year‑old Blessing Olusegun, found dead on Bexhill beach on 18 September 2020, after going missing overnight. Police ruled the death non‑suspicious, a conclusion her family continues to challenge.
Campaigners, including ForBlackWomenUK, have warned of a “disturbing pattern” and questioned why these cases fail to trigger the urgency routinely seen when missing white women or girls are involved. Blessing Olusegun, 21, was found on Bexhill beach in 2020; her death was ruled accidental despite unanswered questions about her final movements.
53‑year‑old mother Taiwo Balogun, discovered in a lake near Bluewater Shopping Centre on 29 December 2022, nearly a month after she was reported missing. Police described her death as unexpected but not suspicious.
In 2022, 53‑year‑old mother Taiwo Balogun was discovered in a lake near Bluewater after nearly a month missing; police deemed it “unexpected but not suspicious.” Nineteen‑year‑old student Samaria Ayanle was found in the Thames, yet it took authorities three weeks to identify her, even though her body had already been recovered.
19‑year‑old student Samaria Ayanle, whose body was recovered from the River Thames on 2 January 2024 and identified weeks later. Her death remains unexplained as her family seeks answers.
And in early 2024, 31‑year‑old postgraduate student Edna Mmbali Ombakho was found in the River Thames after weeks of appeals from her family. These women did not know each other. They lived in different regions. They had different lives. But they shared two things: they were Black, and their disappearances did not trigger the national urgency their families desperately needed.
31‑year‑old postgraduate student Edna Mmbali Ombakho, found in the River Thames on 22 February 2024 after weeks of searching. Police say the death is not suspicious, but her family has raised concerns.
When Black women go missing, families often report delays, limited press interest, and premature assumptions that they left voluntarily, assumptions that can cost critical hours. In these four cases, police closed investigations quickly, ruled out foul play early, and failed to provide transparent updates, leaving communities asking whether institutional blind spots are putting Black women at risk.
For years, police forces across the UK have promised to “rebuild trust” with Black communities, yet the silence surrounding these cases exposes a gap between rhetoric and reality. When Black women go missing, there are no urgent press conferences, no national appeals, no visible mobilisation that signals their lives matter to the institutions meant to protect them. Campaigners argue that without culturally competent safeguarding, dedicated liaison officers, or transparent communication, Black women are left feeling unseen and unsupported — and far less likely to approach police when they are in danger.
Across the UK, several Black women remain missing today, yet not a single one of their cases has triggered a police press conference or high‑visibility public appeal. Community‑run platforms like Missing Black People UK continue to carry the weight of raising awareness, while police forces offer only brief written updates that rarely reach national attention. This silence has created a dangerous gap: Black women are disappearing, their cases remain open, and the institutions responsible for protecting them are not amplifying their names with the urgency seen elsewhere.
Sarah Everard’s disappearance in March 2021 triggered immediate nationwide media coverage and multiple police press briefings, becoming one of the most widely reported missing‑persons cases in recent UK history.
The result is a growing list of missing Black women whose families are left fighting alone — and a country forced to confront why their disappearances are not treated as a national priority. This is no longer a series of isolated tragedies, it is a systemic failure demanding national scrutiny. Families are calling for independent reviews into each case, a public inquiry into how missing Black women are handled, and mandatory equity standards in media reporting and police response. Because until every missing Black woman receives the same urgency, visibility, and humanity as anyone else, Britain cannot claim to value all lives equally. The pattern is clear. The silence is dangerous. And the time to act is now.
