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DC teen vanishes after police chase, mom demands answers

By and FOX 5 DC Digital Team
Published  March 17, 2025 5:02pm EDT
News
FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • Nyair Raymond, 17, vanished after fleeing from a stolen vehicle during a police pursuit near the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge on January 15.
    • Days later, Nyair’s phone and jacket were recovered near the bridge, and a body was later found in the same location.
    • Nyair’s mother, Sharnell Ford, believes police are withholding information and is demanding to see body camera footage.
    • Police have not confirmed the identity of the body, and Nyair remains listed as a missing person.

WASHINGTON - A mother is demanding answers after her 17-year-old son disappeared following a police chase in Southwest D.C.

Missing DC teen disappears after police chase

Nyair Raymond was last seen on January 15 after fleeing from a stolen vehicle during a police pursuit near the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. 

His mother, Sharnell Ford, said she was told he ran from the passenger side of the car and was last seen under the bridge.

Three days after his disappearance, Ford told FOX 5 that Nyair’s phone was found in the area. A week and a half later, his jacket was discovered submerged in the Anacostia River water nearby. 

On March 7, a body was recovered from the same location. 

While police have not officially identified the remains, Ford fears the worst.

"It’s an African American male, about six feet tall. It all fits the criteria of my son," she said.

DC mom demands answers, suspects foul play

Ford believes foul play may have been involved. She says body camera footage from the night of the chase could provide critical answers.

"I want to know what they did and what they didn’t do," Ford said. "Something happened under that bridge."

According to a police report, officers attempted to stop a black Kia Sportage for a traffic violation when the driver and passenger fled on foot. The driver, 18-year-old Jalen Anthony Young, was arrested, while the passenger — believed to be Nyair — escaped.

The Metropolitan Police Department listed Nyair as a missing person on January 18 and confirmed they believe he was the passenger in the vehicle. However, Ford says authorities have been slow to provide her with information.

"They’ve had that body for over a week, and they’re telling me they won’t let me see it," she said.

Ford, who describes her son as a determined young man with dreams of starting a construction business, is calling for justice.

"My son has been wronged somewhere," she said. "This is a murder — I feel it in my heart."

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Metropolitan Police Department.

The Source: FOX 5's Allison Papson contributed to this report, Metropolitan Police Department

NewsWashington, D.C.Missing PersonsPolice Chases