7 year old Garnell Monroe was last seen in Baltimore, Maryland in August 2002. He wasn’t officially reported missing until 2005.
Background
Garnell was raised by relatives, as his mother was in prison and his father lived a transient lifestyle. He spent many years with paternal relatives in the 3700 block of Harlem Avenue near the Gwynns Falls Park in West Baltimore.
When he was six years old his paternal aunt, Belinda Cash, took him into her home. She never had official custody of him and never enrolled him in school.
Disappearance
At the time of his disappearance, Garnell Monroe was living with his paternal aunt, Belinda Cash, in Baltimore, Maryland.
One of Garnell’s great aunts, Trina Morton (who was raising Garnell’s half sister), recalls seeing him playing outside Belinda’s house on Harlem Street in August 2002. He hasn’t been seen since.
Trina was nine months pregnant at the time, and made plans for Garnell to visit her that weekend, but had to cancel because she went into labor.
When Trina asked Belinda to reschedule the visit with Garnell, she was told it wasn’t a good time as they were in the process of moving. The next time Trina called, Belinda’s phone had been disconnected. She also found out the address they were supposed to be moving to had been made up.
Garnell’s father later visited Trina, and claims to have seen Garnell in either 2002 or 2003.
Investigation
In 2005, Trina got in contact with one of Belinda’s relatives, who told her they hadn’t seen Garnell with Belinda in years.
Trina tracked Belinda down to a public housing development in the 4000 block of Frederick Road and asked to see Garnell. Belinda said he was away on a field trip in Virginia, however there’s no evidence he was ever enrolled in school. It was also summertime, when school would have been out.
Trina reached out to local schools, but they weren’t able to give out any information since she wasn’t a legal guardian.
Garnell was officially reported missing in July 2005, but authorities didn’t begin investigating until March 2006.
Belinda told police she had fallen on hard times and was unable to care for Garnell, so she abandoned him on the steps of a social services building in the 500 block of North Hilton Street in West Baltimore.
No one at the social services office had any record of Garnell and no one remembered seeing a boy sitting on the steps.
Police searched Belinda’s old home on Harlem Street, but found no evidence related to Garnell or his whereabouts.
Old neighbor’s of Belinda’s don’t recall seeing Garnell with her anytime after 2001.
Investigators found it suspicious that Belinda lied to them, but she had no criminal record or history of child abuse. No concrete evidence was found indicating that she had harmed him.
It’s unclear what happened to Garnell, but authorities think it’s possible he is alive and well somewhere. Someone may have seen a young boy and taken him in many years ago.
Appearance
Black male with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, Garnell stood 5’3 tall and weighed 120 pounds.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Garnell Moore please contact the Baltimore Police Department at (443) 984-7385.
