Black and Missing but Not Forgotten

Breaking News: 9/28/07 Body confirmed to be Nailah Franklin

CHICAGO (AP) – Authorities today confirmed that a body found in the Chicago suburb of Calumet City this week is that of a 28-year-old woman reported missing nine days ago.

Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond says dental records and an autopsy were used to identify the body of Nailah (nah-EE’-lah) Franklin.

Franklin was reported missing September 19th after she didn’t show up for a work meeting.

Bond says the cause of death for the Chicago woman is inconclusive, and an investigation continues.

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CALUMET CITY, Ill. (AP) – Family members say the body found in suburban Chicago early today is that of a missing Chicago woman.

The uncle of Nailah (nah-EE’-lah) Franklin, Jon Merrill, and family friend, Andrew Holmes, tell WFLD-TV today that authorities have confirmed that the 28-year-old is dead.

Franklin’s family members gathered this morning at the scene in south suburban Calumet City where they prayed and said they hoped that the body wasn’t Franklin’s.

Calumet City police chief Russell Larson earlier confirmed that the unclothed body was found at 4:46 a.m. near a forest preserve.

The area isn’t far from where Franklin’s car was found abandoned in Hammond, Indiana.

Franklin was reported missing September 19th after she didn’t show up for a meeting at work.

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Body Found

UPDATE 1: Missing woman’s family releases statement

CALUMET CITY, Ill. (AP) – The sister of a missing Chicago woman says a body found in Calumet City has NOT been confirmed to be that of her relative.

Nailah (nah-EE’-lah) Franklin was reported missing September 19th after she didn’t show up for a meeting at work.

Her uncle and a family friend earlier told WFLD-TV that they’d been informed that the 28-year-old is dead.

But Franklin’s sister, Lehia Franklin Acox, says in a statement she’s working directly with Chicago police detectives. And Acox says the body found near a forest preserve has not been confirmed to be Franklin.

The area isn’t far from where Franklin’s car was found abandoned in Hammond, Indiana.

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UPDATE 2: Missing Woman’s Family Holds Hope For Safe Return

Nailah Franklin’s family has endured eight days of endless worry since she was reported missing, but with Thursday morning’s discovery of a woman’s body in a Calumet City forest preserve near where Franklin’s car was found, Thursday may seem like the longest day yet.

“It’s been a sad, stressful week for all of us,” said Franklin’s uncle Jon Merrill. “We don’t want the worst case scenario to become a reality.”

For Franklin’s family, discovery of a decomposed woman’s body in the Calumet City forest preserves only prolongs the agonizing waiting game. They are hoping against hope now that the search for the 28-year-old pharmaceutical sales representative isn’t over.

“Nailah is a beautiful, soft-spoken young lady,” Merrill said. “We don’t want a single hair on her head to be harmed. We want to have her back safe and sound.”

Since Franklin vanished, her sisters have orchestrated an extraordinary media blitz. A full-page Chicago Tribune ad appeared Thursday, paid for by her employer, Eli Lilly, and earlier, a blizzard of posters, media interviews, a Web site and a cash rewards.

“We have to believe,” said Franklin’s sister Marina Franklin. “You can’t sit and wait for things to come to you. You can’t sit at home and wait for people to give you information. You have to do something about it.”

Franklin’s immediate family remained in seclusion Thursday with ministers from Trinity United Church of Christ. Other relatives made a visit to her University Village apartment building, now adorned with yellow ribbons that remind everyone of her absence.

“We all love her and we’re just praying for her safe return,” said cousin Lela Toney. “Like everyone else is, we’re just waiting for news.”

It appears that wait will extend into Friday. That is the earliest the body found Thursday could be positively identified.

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The body of a woman was found this morning in an area of Calumet City where police have been searching for Nailah Franklin, a Chicago woman missing for about a week.

Patrol officers found an unclothed body early this morning behind several vacant businesses at River Oaks Drive and Gold Coast Lane, near the Wentworth Woods Forest Preserve. Dozens of investigators with Calumet City police, Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office were on the scene this morning.

The identity of the woman was not being released, but several of Franklin’s relatives were on the scene awaiting word.

Dwayne Johnson, Franklin’s uncle, said the entire family was “in prayer right now.”

“We’re still on our knees,” Johnson said. “We’re hoping that body is not Nailah, but it’s somebody we need to pray for; this is somebody’s loved one.”

Johnson said many of Franklin’s family members, including her five sisters and brother, had gathered at a family home to comfort one another.

Andre Wright, Franklin’s boyfriend, said he was heading to Calumet City to wait for more information. “I’m just hoping it’s not her,” he said.

Also at the scene were dozens of people who say they feel a connection to the Franklin family and were concerned that the body would turn out to be her.

Authorities have been searching the Calumet City area over the last several days for Franklin, 28, who was reported missing Sept. 19 after failing to show up for a business meeting. Her car was found abandoned in Hammond on Saturday.

Franklin, a pharmaceuticals representative who lived in Chicago’s University Village near the University of Illinois at Chicago campus, had filed a police report about threatening phone calls she received from a man she dated briefly. Since her disappearance, family members have been papering the city with fliers. Her family also offered a $10,000 reward for information on her whereabouts and set up a Web site aimed at generating leads.

Franklin was last heard from Sept. 18, when she called her boyfriend in Milwaukee. Three vague text messages from her phone later that night indicated she was having dinner and would call her family and boss back. They didn’t hear from her again.

Franklin worked for Eli Lilly & Co. She was a graduate of Homewood-Flossmoor High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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The body of a woman was found this morning in an area of Calumet City where police have been searching for Nailah Franklin, a Chicago woman missing for about a week.

Patrol officers found an unclothed body early this morning behind several vacant businesses at River Oaks Drive and Gold Coast Lane, near the Wentworth Woods Forest Preserve. Dozens of investigators with Calumet City police, Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office were on the scene this morning.

The identity of the woman was not being released, but several of Franklin’s relatives were on the scene awaiting word.

Dwayne Johnson, Franklin’s uncle, said the entire family was “in prayer right now.”

“We’re still on our knees,” Johnson said. “We’re hoping that body is not Nailah, but it’s somebody we need to pray for; this is somebody’s loved one.”

Johnson said many of Franklin’s family members, including her five sisters and brother, had gathered at a family home to comfort one another.

Andre Wright, Franklin’s boyfriend, said he was heading to Calumet City to wait for more information. “I’m just hoping it’s not her,” he said.

Also at the scene were dozens of people who say they feel a connection to the Franklin family and were concerned that the body would turn out to be her.

Authorities have been searching the Calumet City area over the last several days for Franklin, 28, who was reported missing Sept. 19 after failing to show up for a business meeting. Her car was found abandoned in Hammond on Saturday.

Franklin, a pharmaceuticals representative who lived in Chicago’s University Village near the University of Illinois at Chicago campus, had filed a police report about threatening phone calls she received from a man she dated briefly. Since her disappearance, family members have been papering the city with fliers. Her family also offered a $10,000 reward for information on her whereabouts and set up a Web site aimed at generating leads.

Franklin was last heard from Sept. 18, when she called her boyfriend in Milwaukee. Three vague text messages from her phone later that night indicated she was having dinner and would call her family and boss back. They didn’t hear from her again.

Franklin worked for Eli Lilly & Co. She was a graduate of Homewood-Flossmoor High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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