After being missing for over a week, 14-year-old Aunisty Elliot’s mother says, ‘I’m just asking for prayers, faith and hope that my child comes home safe. And if somebody is with my child, bring her home.’
New York teen Aunisty Elliott has been missing for over a week, according to local reports.
Aunisty, 14, was last seen on July 27, shortly before 11 a.m. She had been keeping an eye on her two younger siblings when she left her Brooklyn home without telling anyone, according to authorities.
This followed an argument with her mother over the teen being on her computer late at night, and she has not been seen since, according to local outlet PIX 11.
Her mother told the outlet that her daughter does not have a cellphone, but she has a computer that was recently taken away and Aunisty was upset about this punishment.
"I am a mother and I did what I thought I should do. She left two days after the computer was taken," said Elliot.
According to local news outlet Audacy, those who know her say Aunisty is a good, studious kid who never got into trouble, and that she has never done anything like this before.
"She knew she was gonna get it back. I don’t know what happened.”
A press conference at the Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn was held on Tuesday in hopes of reaching anyone with information about the missing 14-year-old.
"You come home — you hear me baby? I’ll see you soon, alright?" the mother said at the press conference.
A family member said, "Auny if you’re watching this: You are important, you are missed, you are loved. We all want you back, we all want you safe,” according to a local NBC outlet.
During the press conference, Elliot told her daughter to “be strong” until she returns, according to the outlet.
"She has to be afraid, she's never been without me,” the mother said
Elliot, her family, and local police have been passing out flyers and asking for leads, according to the outlet.
According to Audacy, the family says police have been following leads and looking for the missing girl, but they are frustrated that no one picks up the phone when they call the number on the flyer.
They shared with the outlet the fear that when Black girls go missing, not enough urgent action is taken to bring them home.
Brooklyn Council Member Crystal Hudson touched on this topic during Tuesday’s press conference, saying that her office did not find out about the young girl’s disappearance until a week after Elliot went missing, according to the outlet.
“My office learned about it today, and she’s been gone for seven days,” Hudson said.
“That is shameful. This city should be knocking on every door and turning over every stone.”
The council member discussed Aunisty’s disappearance in the scope of a larger issue in the U.S., saying “Black children are missing at greater rates than any other children in this country; 37% of missing children in this country are Black.”
The NYPD told NBC said they have been working to find the teen, including interviews with the teen's friends, canvassing for video, taking possession of her laptop, issuing subpoenas for her social media accounts, using social media facial recognition, and notifying human trafficking.
According to the outlet, the department said they also searched hospitals and put out radio transmissions in hopes of finding Aunisty.
The NYPD Department of Public Information had no additional information to give Inside Edition on the status of the case.
According to NBC, Aunisty’s family characterized her as well-behaved and trusting, saying their greatest fear is that she may have trusted the wrong person.
"People, bring my child home, bring Aunisty home to me, please," said Elliot.
Aunisty was last seen wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt with words “the fresh senior” printed in yellow. She wears glasses, has brown eyes, and dark-colored hair with purple highlights, according to authorities.
If Aunisty is located, the NYPD asks to call 911.
If anyone has additional information on the case, you can reach Detective Cotes at 718-735-0610 or the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.
