Asha had fouled out. [28], In September 2017, the FBI announced that its Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) team was in Cleveland County to assist in the investigation and "provide on-the-ground investigative, technical, behavioral analysis, and analytical support to find out more about what happened to Asha". By 7am, the whole neighborhood had been awakened by the calls for Asha. He circled three times and saw Degree run into the woods by the roadside and disappear. The Cleveland County Schools were closed on Friday, February 11, while the Degrees still had to work; the children spent the day at their aunt's house in the same neighborhood, from which they went to their youth basketball practices at their school. [5][4] Pictures of Asha, both real and those showing her as she might appear in later years created by investigators to help the search, still decorate the Degree house. 1 Julian Price Pl.Charlotte, NC 28208(704) 374-3500. [18], From Iquilla's account of what Asha had taken with her, investigators believed she had planned and prepared for this departure over the several days preceding her disappearance. All rights reserved. He urged the media to keep the story alive. "She was scared to death of dogs," she recalled years later. Edit. She has not been seen since. “Even though she is 30 now, she is still our child, still the 9-year-old little girl that left.”, [ Cleveland County Sheriff, investigators remain committed to case 20 years after Asha Degree’s disappearance ]. And the case would only get more confusing as her belongings start to pop up along that same highway, spaced out over … It was 20 years ago today that Asha Degree, a shy 9-year-old North Carolina girl, went missing in the middle of the night. [6], They made sure their children were insulated from outside influences and had a life centered around their extended family, church, and school. Harold worked as a dock loader at PPG Industries Inc while her mother, Iquilla, worked at Kawai America Manufacturing. February 14, 2021 at 6:21 PM EST - Updated February 14 at 11:24 PM, Cleveland County Sheriff, investigators remain committed to case 20 years after Asha Degree’s disappearance, Artist who created age progression photo of missing Asha Degree explains process, Deputies reveal new clues potentially related to disappearance of Asha Degree, Details released on Central Arkansas officer involved shooting, ties to child abduction case, 4-year-old killed in fall from ‘upper floor’ at SC hotel, North Carolina has smallest number of “red” counties since start of COVID-19 County Alert System, Gov. “This is worse than death because, at least with death, you have closure,” Iquilla Degree said. "[8], Asha was in fourth grade at nearby Fallston Elementary School, going into a three-day weekend on the second week of February 2000. Asha Degree's parents speak 21 years after daughter went missing. In the morning, her parents discovered her absence. [3] The Degrees raised both children in their house on Oakcrest Drive in a residential subdivision amidst a generally rural area north of Shelby, North Carolina, on the western edge of the Charlotte metropolitan area. By day's end, all that had been found was a mitten, which Iquilla Degree said did not belong to her daughter, noting that no winter clothing had been taken from the house. “[E]very time you turned on the TV there was some pedophile who had lured somebody’s child away, via the Internet” Iquilla recalled in a 2013 Jet interview. In the early morning hours of February 14, 2000, for reasons unknown, she packed her bookbag, left her family home north of the city and began walking along nearby North Carolina Highway 18despite heavy rain and wind. Iquilla called her mother, who told her to call the police. They also released photos of potential suspect vehicles, but none of them led to any arrests. One year later they became parents to O’Bryant Degree, and on August 5, 1990, they had their second child, Asha Jaquilla Degree. “We’ve done everything in our power to find our child and bring her home,” Iquilla Degree, Asha’s mother, told WBTV. Asha Degree was born on August 5, 1990 to parents Harold and Iquilla Degree. "I know if you ask them they will say it's not racial. Asha was not there. Asha Jaquilla Degree (AY-shuh; born August 5, 1990 ) went missing at the age of nine from Shelby, North Carolina, United States. That is when panic full set in for her parents. Instead, her family still has hope of finding the Cleveland County girl who went missing 21 years ago. Both the FBI and North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) got involved and put her on their respective databases of missing children. Asha’s father told investigators that he last saw her at 2:00am when he checked on his kids before going to sleep. Iquilla Degree shares a message to her daughter, Asha, on the 18th anniversary of her disappearance. [18], At the news conference on February 22, Crawford said he was going "long-range" with the search for Asha. Asha was known for being a shy girl who, while greatly afraid of dogs, regularly had a huge smile on her face. Police arrived at the degree home by 6:30am with K-9's in tow. Asha Degree was an intelligent and friendly nine-year-old girl who lived outside of Shelby, North Carolina. [20], The Degrees took steps to keep Asha's memory, and the case, alive in the public's mind. Asha Jaquila Degree went missing from Shelby, North Carolina on 14th February 2000. it is thought that she packed her bookbag and, for reasons unknown, made the long 1.3 mile [2.1 km] trek from her home to the Highway 18. She was spooked and ran into the woods. Asha's personality not fitting the profile of a runaway whatsoever. [17][6][10] A week later, after 9,000 man hours had been invested in a search of the 2–3-mile-radius (3.2–4.8 km) of where she had last been seen, flyers had been posted all over the area, and 300 leads had been submitted that ranged from possible sightings to tips about abandoned houses and wells where Asha might have ended up, the search was called off. Also, Asha’s parents have worked tirelessly to find her, seem genuinely distraught, and have remained in the family home for decades on the off chance that Asha might come home. I'm not going to argue because I have common sense. On the morning of Feb. 14, 2000, Asha’s parents, Harold and Iquilla, went to wake her for school, but she was nowhere to be found. She has not been seen since. [12], Iquilla awoke at 5:45 a.m. to get the children ready for school. A Gray Media Group, Inc. Station - © 2002-2021 Gray Television, Inc. Asha Degree's parents speak 21 years after daughter went missing, ‘Only thing we got is hope’: Family still seeking clues on 21st anniversary Asha Degree went missing. 21 years ago, 9-year-old Asha Degree disappeared from her home in North Carolina. The Degree family (especially the father) changing their stories. On February 14th, 2000, Asha Degree's parents awoke to find their nine year old daughter missing. Copyright 2021 WBTV. In 2004, acting on a tip reportedly received from an inmate at the county jail, the sheriff's office began digging at an intersection in Lawndale. Asha’s mom explained, “I never suspected my husband or my son. She was spooked and ran into the woods. Abducted from home. The case has drawn national media attention. Harold and Iquilla Degree married on Valentine's Day in 1988. In 2008, they established a scholarship in her name for a deserving local student. It's likely we may not be able to determine with absolute certainty what happened to Asha Degree, but we may be able to discern between what is more likely and what is less likely amongst theories. Then he changed his story to say he went to the store at 11:30 to purchase candy and returned at midnight to see Asha lying on the … A month after Asha's disappearance, the Degree family appeared on The Montel Williams Show to call attention to the case. New clues in Asha Degree's disappearance There are new details and a new witness in the case of Asha Degree, the 9-year-old missing for 16 years … Asha Degree. It is believed that Asha Degree went missing around 2.30 am on February 14, 2000. Still, investigators believed that was the most likely explanation for her departure, but that for some reason, she either got off track or was abducted. “We are definitely still actively investigating the case,” said Shelly Lynch, with FBI Charlotte. [4], Iquilla Degree lamented in a 2013 interview with Jet that her daughter's disappearance had not gotten as much media attention over the years as some subsequent cases of missing children because Asha was black. Their son, O'Bryant, was born a year later; Asha was born in 1990. “You can go to a gravesite, or if you have the urn at home, but for us, we can’t mourn, we can’t give up. The FBI told WBTV they continue to discuss and investigate Degree’s disappearance. Oh, really? We are actively investigating, following leads, generating new ones, conducting interviews, utilizing new advancements in technology that didn’t exist before.”, [ Deputies reveal new clues potentially related to disappearance of Asha Degree ]. To this day, no one knows why she left, or why she was walking along Highway 18 alone around 4 in the morning. America's Most Wanted and The Oprah Winfrey Show also devoted segments to it. Police dogs called to the scene could not pick up Asha's scent. They disclosed that Asha may have been seen getting into a dark green early 1970s Lincoln Continental Mark IV, or possibly a Ford Thunderbird from the same era, along Route 18 near where she was last seen later that night. In the days of searching following her disappearance, Police discovered several It was described as having rust around its wheel wells. [4] Both worked regular jobs nearby. [11] An FBI agent also pointed to the lack of an issue she might have been running away from, such as a dysfunctional family or poor academic performance. On February 16, Iquilla realized that Asha's bedroom was missing her favorite clothing, including a pair of blue jeans with a red stripe. Harold and Iquilla Degree got married on Valentines Day in 1988. Her family hosts an annual walk from their home to the billboard to draw attention to the case. [25] The walk starts at their home and ends at a missing person's billboard for Asha along Highway 18, near where she was last seen. She was spooked and ran into the woods. [6], On February 15, candy wrappers were found in a shed at a nearby business along the highway, near where Asha had been seen running into the woods. Asha was an extremely timid little girl, in fact, she was wary of almost everything. Between 3:45 and 4:15 a.m., a truck driver and a motorist saw her walking south along Highway 18, wearing a long-sleeved white T-shirt and white pants, just north of its junction with Highway 180. [6] The motorist said that he turned his car around because he thought it was "strange such a small child would be out by herself at that hour". The children let themselves in after school,[5] where their parents expected that they would either be doing their homework or finished with it by the time they returned. She was allegedly spotted by several witnesses, one of whom approached her in their car out of concern. [8][11] County sheriff Dan Crawford said, "We're pretty sure it was her because the descriptions they gave are consistent with what we know she was wearing." "[E]very time you turned on the TV there was some pedophile who had lured somebody's child away, via the Internet," Iquilla recalled in a 2013 Jet interview. [14] Local news coverage prompted the two drivers who had seen Asha walking along the road early that morning, including the one whose attempt to approach her apparently prompted Asha to flee into the woods, to report the sightings to police. I don't understand why," she said. The bones that were found turned out to be from an animal. [1] An investigator said the items are vital clues. [24] They host an annual walk to raise awareness and money to fund their search. “We continue to have regular meetings with investigators from FBI, Cleveland County, and the SBI. ‎Sometime after 2:30am on February 14, 2000, a 9-year-old girl from Shelby, NC named Asha Degree left her parents home in a rainstorm and began walking Highway 18 south toward an unknown destination. At the point where she ran into the woods, a billboard now stands appealing for help finding her. Asha Degree, âgée de seulement neuf ans au moment de sa disparition, était une enfant joviale et brillante. Asha Jaquila Degree went missing from Shelby, North Carolina on 14th February 2000. it is thought that she packed her bookbag and, for reasons unknown, made the long 1.3 mile [2.1 km] trek from her home to the Highway 18. "[7], In February 2015, the FBI announced that FBI agents, Cleveland County Sheriff's Office investigators, and State Bureau of Investigation agents were re-examining the case and re-interviewing witnesses. He did not further rouse himself, as he assumed she was merely changing positions in her sleep. Harold (Asha's father) first said something about staying up watching TV that night when the power went out waiting for kerosene heaters to cool. They also announced a reward of up to $25,000 for "information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for her disappearance. The parents tend to be painted as God-fearing uptight Puritans, leading some people to wonder if Asha were running away from stifling conditions at home. Nine-year-old Asha was last seen in her home in an apartment on Oakcrest Street in Shelby, North Carolina at approximately 2:30 a.m. on February 14, 2000. [7], On August 3, 2001, Asha's bookbag and other items were discovered during a construction project off Highway 18 in Burke County, near Morganton, about 26 miles (42 km) north of Shelby. I put shoes on and ran outside." Two people reported seeing a little girl walking along Highway 18 around 4 a.m. A year and a half later, her book bag was found 30 miles away in Burke County. Family members last saw her asleep in … Her parents were both extremely hardworking to provide the very best for their family. Extensive investigation showed that Asha had packed her backpack, and left the home between the hours of 2:30am and 4am. In February of 2000, a 9-year-old girl named Asha Degree packed her book bag and tucked it away, waiting for the right time to sneak out of her North Carolina home. With days before the high school football season kicks off, there is a continued push to change the current order only allowing 100 spectators at outdoor high school athletic events. It's been over 13 years since Asha Degree disappeared from her bedroom but her mother Iquilla Degree remains hopeful that this Black and missing child will be found [22] To date, it is the last evidence found in the case. “I still believe that she’s alive,” she said. "We have never really had that first good, substantial lead," said county sheriff Dan Crawford at a news conference. "[26] A community group is offering an additional $20,000 reward. A l’école, elle fait du basket et excelle dans ce sport ; elle s’intéresse beaucoup aux mathématiques et aux sciences mais rêve par ailleurs de devenir illustratrice. It was wrapped in a plastic bag. By WBTV Web Staff | February 14, 2021 at 6:21 PM EST - Updated February 14 at 11:24 PM . [10] They reported this to police after seeing a TV report about her disappearance. Since September 2017, local agents and investigators have conducted approximately 300 interviews. They were a religious family and Asha never missed her weekly Bible study at church. Many of them cancelled their plans for the day to search for the girl. Asha Degree, who was 9 years old at the time, went missing from her home in Shelby, North Carolina, on the night of Valentine’s Day in 2000. No one has seen her since.[2]. Around 8 p.m. that night, both children went to bed in the room they shared. He suggested Asha might have gone over to his mother's house across the street; when Iquilla called there, her sister-in-law said Asha was not there. These claims are under investigation and have not yet been verified. On February 14th, 2000, Asha Degree's parents awoke to find their nine year old daughter missing. Her parents, Harold and Iquilla Degree, had gotten married on Valentine’s Day in 1988. Apparently around this time, Asha got out of bed, taking a bookbag she had previously packed with several sets of clothes and personal items, and left the house. [ Artist who created age progression photo of missing Asha Degree explains process ]. "I fully expect her to walk through the door," Iquilla says. "Missing white children get more attention. The #FBI, Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, & @SBI1937 continue to search for clues to #FindAsha. [2] It was originally held on February 14, but it was changed to February 7 in 2015 and February 6 in 2016, as Harold and Iquilla felt it was not fair to participants to make Valentine's Day a somber occasion. Channel 9 reporter Ken Lemon broke the story in 2000 and recently sat down with Asha’s mother, Iquilla Degree. Iquilla went through the neighborhood calling Asha's name, which she said had awakened everyone by 7 a.m.[7] Friends, family, and neighbors canceled their plans for the day to assist police in searching the vicinity while the pastor of their church, along with other area clergymen, came to the Degrees' home to support them. https://t.co/uoocLY29Qj. Extensive investigation showed that Asha had packed her backpack, and left the home between the hours of 2:30am and 4am. [31][32], In November 2020, an inmate named Marcus Mellon, who was convicted of sex crimes against children in 2014, wrote a letter to The Shelby Star, claiming that Degree was murdered and he knows where to find her. [16] The FBI took it to their headquarters for further forensic analysis; results from that testing have not been shared publicly. The only thing we got is hope.”. The dogs were not able to pick up on her scent. [33], Nine-year-old girl who left her North Carolina home in the early morning of Valentine's Day 2000, 2000 case of missing girl in North Carolina, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, "Clues Sought in Case of 9-Year-Old Who Disappeared 20 Years Ago", "After 15 years, family keeps searching for Asha Degree", "Asha Degree: Family, friends refuse to give up search for little girl who disappeared in 2000", "Missing & Black: What Happened to Asha Degree? They have speculated that she might have been abducted instead. The young family lived in Shelby, North Carolina, on 3404 Oakcrest Drive, and were very close-knit, with Harold’s mother and sister living down … Investigators heard from two people who said they saw a girl walking along N.C. 18 around 4 a.m. One person said when they went back to check on her, the child disappeared into the woods. [30], In October 2018, the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office detectives appealed for information from the public about two items of interest that were found in Degree's bookbag: McElligot's Pool, a children's book by Dr. Seuss, which was borrowed from the Fallston Elementary School library in early 2000, and a New Kids on the Block concert T-shirt. The following day, Asha's basketball team, on which she was a star point guard, lost its first game of the season. Throughout the years investigators found clues, including her backpack with a t-shirt and book inside of it. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Asha Degree should be celebrating her 30th birthday with family and friends this year. "She's not your typical runaway," observed SBI agent Bart Burpeau. ", "Vanished: Tips on Asha Degree's Disappearance Roll In Even 10 Years Later", "Finding Asha: Leads still pouring in 18 years after child vanished", "Girl's disappearance baffles investigators", "SBI Search for Possible Remains of Asha Degree", "Sheriff confirms items belonged to missing girl", "FBI Offering Reward of Up to $25,000 in Asha Degree Disappearance", "$45,000 reward for info in disappearance of Shelby girl missing 15 years", "FBI releases new details in 2000 disappearance of Asha Degree", "FBI Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team Joins Unsolved Missing Girl Investigation", "Investigators Seek Public Assistance in Unsolved Missing Girl Investigation", "Book, band T-shirt are new clues to NC girl's disappearance in 2000, detective says", "Authorities release new photos in case of 'Shelby's sweetheart' who vanished 18 years ago", National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disappearance_of_Asha_Degree&oldid=1007435458, February 2000 events in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 18 February 2021, at 03:15. On the morning of February 14, an important day since it was not only Valentine's Day but also the Degrees' wedding anniversary,[13] this involved drawing a bath for them because they had not been able to take one the night before due to the power outage. [29] The agencies also meet "several times a month to go over the latest on the investigation." While the circumstances of Degree's disappearance at first seemed to suggest she was running away from home, investigators could not find a clear reason she might have done so; she was younger than most children who do. A year and a half later, her bookbag, still packed, was unearthed from a construction site along Highway 18 north of Shelby in Morganton. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}35°20′47″N 81°30′27″W / 35.34647°N 81.50738°W / 35.34647; -81.50738, Asha Jaquilla Degree (AY-shuh; born August 5, 1990[1]) went missing at the age of nine from Shelby, North Carolina, United States. Maybe, although I suspect that either the parents are much more reasonable humans than they seem to be in media depictions, or they were a lot worse at keeping an eye on her than they thought. [23] On the 20th anniversary of Asha's disappearance, the FBI confirmed that the bookbag contained a copy of Dr. Seuss's McElligot's Pool and a T-shirt depicting the band New Kids on the Block. An intensive search that began that day led to the location of some of her personal effects near where she was last seen. Edit source History Talk (0) Share . 1.3 miles later, and in temperatures barely above freezing, she was spotted by a passing motorist, bu… I have read so many theories on Asha Degree, however they all seem to be the same across the board. [15] Along with them were a pencil, marker, and Mickey Mouse-shaped hair bow that were identified as belonging to her. If you know anything that could help investigators, call the FBI at 704- 672-6100 or the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at 704 484-4822. [6], Shortly afterwards, O'Bryant, then age 10, recalls hearing Asha's bed squeak. Growing up on Oakcrest Street in Shelby, North Carolina, she led a sheltered life, with her family placing an emphasis on education and church. She has not been seen since. "That's when I went into panic mode. She hasn’t been seen or heard from since. This is the unresolved disappearance of Asha Degree. [7] Iquilla said Asha handled this well; she was cautious, shy, and content mostly to stay within the limits her parents set. In the early morning hours of February 14, 2000, for reasons unknown, she packed her bookbag, left her family home north of the city and began walking along nearby North Carolina Highway 18 despite heavy rain and wind. She was allegedly spotted by several witnesses, one of whom approached her in their car out of concern. Several passing motorists saw her; when one turned around at a point 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from her home and began to approach her, she left the roadside and ran into a … The Degrees did not have a computer in the house. Last seen point where she was merely changing positions in her name for a local! Degrees did not further rouse himself, as he assumed she was scared to death of dogs, had! Some of her disappearance billboard now stands appealing for help finding her public 's mind identified belonging! 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