Every Jane Doe has a story.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 |
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In today's newsletter, a Michigan court rules the state's 1931 abortion ban is unconstitutional, Michigan's inmate population is at a 30-year low and we ask Kyle all about the Lions as their first regular season game approaches. |
Every Jane Doe had a life and has a story. After years of work, here's Breanna Sharp's story. |
For the last decade, investigative reporter Gus Burns has been thinking about the life and death of a girl he never got to meet. But sometimes a story grabs you, especially when it seems like the world forgot a 13-year-old girl who was buried in an unmarked grave as a Jane Doe. Gus wasn't sure Breanna Sharp's story would ever be printed or recorded. He kept his notes, documents and audio files for years. Now, Breanna's story is forever documented as a written story and a podcast. Gus also wrote a column explaining what it was like for him to work on and wonder about Breanna's story for the last 10 years. You can read that personal account here. Keep reading today's newsletter for more on Breanna, with information about the podcast, as well as stories about her and other unidentified persons in Michigan.
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A childhood photo of Breanna Sharp, provided by her father, Lenard Cobb. |
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Breanna Sharp, 13, died in a stairwell. No one reported her missing. No one seemed to care. |
Read her story: In 2008, 13-year-old Breanna Sharp disappeared. No one reported her missing to local authorities in Detroit. No one seemed to care. It would be four years before she would be connected to remains labeled as a "Jane Doe" in an unmarked grave. How and why was she seemingly forgotten? Listen to her story: Reporter Gus Burns used his interviews with family members, law enforcement officials and others to weave Breanna's story into a four-part series for our Michigan Crime Stories podcast. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or search for it on your favorite podcasting platform.
More reporting on unidentified persons in Michigan: There are 326 Jane and John Does in Michigan. And in Wayne County, there are 224 unidentified persons without autopsy reports. |
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The inmate population of Michigan's prison system has hit a 30-year low. |
Shrinking numbers: Michigan’s inmate population is at a 30-year-low, resulting in cost-cutting and downsizing measures that include the closure of a prison in Ionia and consolidation of another in Adrian, the Michigan Department of Corrections said Wednesday.
According to MDOC: "Michigan’s recidivism rate has dropped from nearly 45% to just 23.6% over the last 20 years, reflecting a significant decrease in the number of violations and new crimes committed by those on parole. Michigan now ranks in the top five nationally for its recidivism rate."
Juvenile lifer released:After serving 30-plus years behind bars for a murder she committed at the age of 16, Amy Lee Black, a juvenile lifer, has been released from prison. |
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Good to see today for our Morning Briefing. Remember, you can always find the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. And maybe you are feeling that pull to become an MLive subscriber. Have a lovely day! I'll see you back here tomorrow for a Friday morning news roundup.
— Jessica Shepherd |
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