Milwaukee Girl Missing Since 2022 Found Safe: Advocacy for Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force
A Milwaukee girl named Joniah Walker, who went missing in 2022, has been located safe after approximately four years, according to police reports. Surveillance footage captured Walker walking near Buffum and Reservoir, close to her residence, in June 2022 when she was 15 years old. The Milwaukee Police Department did not provide details on when and where Walker was found. Walker was not considered a critical missing person at the time of her disappearance, one of 36 long-term missing persons cases in the city.
State Rep. Shelia Stubbs has been advocating for a bill to establish the Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force since 2021. Walker, along with Sade Robinson and LaSheaky Hill, were highlighted in the campaign. The task force, comprising law enforcement, survivors, legal professionals, and victims' rights advocates, aims to investigate the factors contributing to violence against African American women and girls and propose strategies to prevent it. Although the Wisconsin State Assembly approved Stubbs' bill in 2024, it faced obstacles in the Senate.
Data presented at the Wisconsin Capitol revealed concerning statistics from The Guardian, indicating that Wisconsin had the highest rate of homicide among Black women and girls in 2020. Columbia University researchers discovered a significant disparity in murder rates between Black and white women in Wisconsin, with Black women being 20 times more likely to be victims. Law enforcement and mental health experts noted an uptick in critical missing person cases during the summer months.
In conclusion, Joniah Walker, a Milwaukee girl missing since 2022, has been found safe after four years. Her case sheds light on the need for initiatives like the Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force to address the disproportionate violence faced by Black women and girls in Wisconsin.