DIY VIRAL
A little over a year ago, on January 9, 2024, 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris was last seen getting off her school bus at the corner of Cornwall and Three Mile Drive in Detroit. Neither she nor her body were ever found. On Thursday, Jarvis Butts, 42, accused of having an inappropriate relationship with Na'Ziyah, was charged with first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree criminal sexual conduct and sexually abusive activity on a child in the death of the teenager.
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“You are the monster in this whole case,” Judge Aliyah Sabree told Butts in court Thursday, according to CBS News. “She (Na'Ziyah) deserved the love of her parents and everyone in her life. She was ignored. It was neglected and you took full advantage of it. She wanted someone to love her and she'll never know what that feels like. I pray for the healing of all the victims and young girls, and possibly boys, who came into contact with you.
“As a community, we should view this case as a great example of how much work we must do to protect our children and especially Black girls,” she added.
Although Na'Ziyah's body was never found, prosecutors argued Thursday that cell tower tracking data and a hearing held in November — during which one of Butt's business partners testified implicating him, and another alleged witness claiming to have seen Butts and Na'Ziyah together on the evening of her disappearance. – was enough evidence to charge Butts with his death. In addition to all of this evidence, several of Na'Ziyah's personal belongings had been found in the areas where investigators followed Butts in the days following the child's disappearance. Still, defense attorneys argued there wasn't enough evidence to prove Butts caused or intended to cause Na'Ziyah's death.
The judge disagreed, as did Na'Ziyah's family.
From CBS:
“She (Sabree) held him accountable. She pointed out some very important things, even her body language during all of this. My family and I really appreciate her for that,” said Na’Ziyah’s cousin Roxy.
More than 20 witnesses, including a mix of experts, family members and law enforcement officials, have spoken in court over the past four days.
Eight witnesses, including Na'Ziyah's grandmother and aunt, testified Monday. Na'Ziyah's aunt, Shannon Harris, said she didn't suspect anything beyond a normal uncle-niece connection between Butts and Na'Ziyah.
Unsurprisingly, Na'Ziyah is not the only young girl Butts is accused of assaulting and abusing. He is also currently accused of sexually abusing two other girls in separate cases involving an eight-year-old family member and a girlfriend's four-year-old daughter, who contracted chlamydia as a result of the assault. He also has a conviction for sexual assault on his record from 2005.
And those aren't Butts' only legal troubles.
According to click on DetroitOn the day Na'Ziyah disappeared, Butts was supposed to turn himself in to authorities on a previous gun-related charge, but, for reasons that are unclear, that date was moved from January 9 to February of 'last year.
So instead of turning himself in, Butts allegedly met with Na'Ziyah and put them both up at a motel. Text messages found on Butts' phone allegedly revealed that Na'Ziyah was pregnant, and Butts' online history revealed that he was seeking information about abortions, abortion pills and the effects of drinking antifreeze red.
Prosecutors reportedly called Butts a “serial child rapist” and law enforcement believes he was abusing Na'Ziyah since 2022.
There are some people in this world who are evil and depraved beyond belief. They deserve to be in prison for the rest of their lives, and black girls like Na'Ziyah across the country deserve to be better protected.
DIY VIRAL
