By: Journey Artis
This story is the continuation of a series examining the stories behind Black Lives Matter on our website.
The story of Quawan Charles is one that is all too familiar in the United States alone, but around the world as a whole. Quawan Charles was a 15-year-old young African American boy who lost his life, and the causes around it are still slightly fuzzy due to the lack of his evidence. Quawan’s story has many details and different accounts to it, many of which are blurred, however there is a basic idea to it. On October 30, Roxanne Nelson called the police after Quawan went missing from his father’s home in Baldwin, Louisiana. He was found four days later (Nov.4), in a sugar cane field 25 miles north of his family home. It is reported that he was picked up by his Caucasion friend Gavin Irvin and Gavin’s mother Janet. It is said that Janet has a record of temporarily losing custody of her children due to alleged domestic violence and abuse by her children’s father, as well as burglary and receiving stolen property. While it is alleged that Gavin and Quawan were friends, his parents say they have never met Gavin or his mother however a video shows Quawan getting into Janet’s car. His mother has also reported that she had never given permission to Janet to take her child, which most would consider kidnapping due to the fact that Quawan is still a minor. When he was found Quawan was mutilated so badly, that part of his lips were gone, and there were many lacerations on his face. However the local police department has ruled his death as drowning in ankle deep water (due to the water that was found in his lungs) , in the sugar cane field where he was found. They also said that the lacerations found on his face were due to, “aquatic activity.” While details can vary depending on sources the basic plot remains the same: Quawan got into a car with people who were strangers to his parents and was found dead four days later in a sugarcane field nearby. Quawan’s family has said that they believe he may have been kept alive today if the local police department had reacted faster and more effectively. This is because there are records that they did not go out searching for him, and did not notify the state police which is what they are required to do by law when there is a report of a missing child so that state police could decide if it is an Amber Alert or media advisory case. The local police department has said that they did not because Quawan's case did not show any signs of a kidnapping or missing person’s case, however his mother believes it was another case of a hate crime and ineffective help due to the color fo Quawan’s skin. It can only be hoped and prayed that Quawan’s case will come out with better and more descriptive details as well as justice for this young boy’s life as well as family having lost him so young.
Before and after images of Quawan Charles
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