An Overnight Mystery — The Case of Unique Harris
Cold for ten years, her story thawed to reveal the truth
After enjoying popcorn and movies together, Unique Harris sent her family off to bed. She had spent the evening with her two boys, U’Andre’ and Richard, as well as Talaya Reed, who different reports referred to as both a younger cousin or niece.
The three of them woke up at her apartment in Southeast Washington D.C. on Oct. 10, 2010, and she was gone. Her keys and cell phone were missing, but her purse and glasses were left behind — she needed the latter to see, her eyesight allegedly so bad without them that she had trouble reading a bedside clock.
Harris, 24, disappeared as the children slept in the next room, and the case brought up conversations around the disparity in media coverage for missing Black women.
Her full name was Unique RaQuel-Leona Harris, and she had moved from Richmond, Virginia, to be closer to her mother for a “fresh start.” She had only been living in her building for five weeks, with plans of going back to school to be a massage therapist.
Investigators could not find any sign of foul play, but they also did not think she left of her own volition. Police believed Harris was abducted by a perpetrator she knew. In the time Harris said goodnight…
