It was a cold winter morning in Cleveland, Ohio, when a teenage girl vanished after getting on a public transit bus to take her to school. Her parents didn’t learn she was missing until later on that afternoon. Her disappearance sparked a massive search and would lead to calls for safer streets and for new legislation when it comes to schools reporting children as absent. It would also lead many parents to question if their child was really safe when travelling to school alone and ponder what kind of monsters could be lurking around abandoned buildings.
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Audio Sources:
“Alianna DeFreeze’s father gives emotional statement in court”
“Christopher Whitaker apologizes for killing 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze”
“Video of Christopher Whitaker’s confession shown in court during Alianna DeFreeze murder trial”
“Trial in death of Alianna DeFreeze Wednesday”
“Christopher Whitaker gets death sentence for killing Cleveland teen Alianna DeFreeze”
“Christopher Whitaker sentenced to death for killing 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze”
“Christopher Whitaker Trial Day 1 Part 1 Victim’s Mother Donnesha Cooper Testifies”
“Alianna DeFreeze closing argument”
“Deputy M.E. says Aniya died slowly, withered away”
“Alianna DeFreeze Confession Tape”
“A timeline of the search for Alianna DeFreeze’s killer”
“Cleveland pastors patrol streets near schools after death of 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze”
Sources:
Fox – 8 WJW, 27 January, 2017 – “Cleveland Police Looking for Missing 14-Year-Old”
Fox – 8 WJW, 29 January, 2017 – “Body of Female Found in Home on Fuller Avenue”
Fox – 8 WJW, 30 January, 2017 – “Uncovering More About Missing Cleveland Girl”
Associated Press, 31 January, 2017 – “Medical Examiner Says Body Appears to be Missing Girl”
Fox – 8 WJW, 31 January, 2017 – “Fuller Avenue Body Consistent with Missing Girl”
Fox – 8 WJW, 1 February, 2017 – “Searching for Answers”
Fox – 8 WJW, 1 February, 2017 – “School Remembers Alianna DeFreeze”
The Plain Dealer, 1 February, 2017 – “Body Identified as that of Missing Teen”
The Plain Dealer, 1 February, 2017 – “New Fears of a Predator at Large”
Fox – 8 WJW, 2 February, 2017 – “DNA Helped Identify Suspect”
Fox – 8 WJW, 3 February, 2017 – “More Revealed About Past of Suspect”
Fox – 8 WJW, 3 February, 2017 – “Calls for a New Law”
The Plain Dealer, 3 February, 2017 – “Man Charged in Alianna DeFreeze Death Sexually Assaulted Woman”
The Plain Dealer, 3 February, 2017 – “School’s Automated System Failed to Notify Parents”
Fox – 8 WJW, 4 February, 2017 – “Community Thanks Police”
Fox – 8 WJW, 4 February, 2017 – “$3 Million Bond for Suspect”
The Plain Dealer, 4 February, 2017 – “Marchers Thank Cleveland Police Officers”
The Plain Dealer, 5 February, 2017 – “Family of Alianna DeFreeze Asks Mourners to Stop Leaving Mementos at Home”
Fox – 8 WJW, 6 February, 2017 – “Services Set for 14-Year-Old Alianna DeFreeze”
The Plain Dealer, 6 February, 2017 – “Man Charged in Alianna DeFreeze’s Death Was Jailed During Two Unsolved Homicides”
The Plain Dealer, 8 February, 2017 – “Alianna DeFreeze Funeral Changes Venue”
The Plain Dealer, 9 February, 2017 – “Alianna’s Death Prompts Patrols”
Fox – 8 WJW, 11 February, 2017 – “Hundreds Come Out to Remember Alianna DeFreeze”
The Plain Dealer, 12 February, 2017 – “Family, Community Say Goodbye to Alianna”
Fox – 8 WJW, 13 February, 2017 – “Prosecutors Will Seek Death Penalty”
The Plain Dealer, 20 February, 2017 – “Slaying Puts Focus on Kids Riding RTA”
Fox – 8 WJW, 28 February, 2017 – “Alianna DeFreeze’s Mother Opens Up”
Fox – 8 WJW, 22 March, 2017 – “Ohio Legislature Considered Arianna Alert”
The Plain Dealer, 1 February, 2018 – “She Still Played with Baby Dolls”
Fox – 8 WJW, 1 February, 2018 – “Trial Starts for Man Accused of Killing 14-Year-Old”
Fox – 8 WJW, 5 February, 2018 – “Video Shows Murder Suspect Meeting Alianna DeFreeze”
The Plain Dealer, 5 February, 2018 – “Jurors See Tools Used in Slaying”
Fox – 8 WJW, 7 February, 2018 – “Disturbing Details Revealed During Alianna DeFreeze Trial”
Fox – 8 WJW, 6 February, 2018 – “Witness Describes Seeing Abduction of 14 Year Old Alianna DeFreeze”
Fox – 8 WJW, 8 February, 2018 – “Alianna DeFreeze Trial”
The Plain Dealer, 13 February, 2018 – “Jury Deliberating DeFreeze Case”
The Plain Dealer, 21 February, 2018 – “Defense Experts Explain Why Christopher Whitaker Should Not Be Executed”
Fox – 8 WJW, 22 February, 2018 – “Sentencing Deliberations to Continue Friday”
The Plain Dealer, 22 February, 2018 – “Jurors Deliberate Fate of Alianna DeFreeze’s Killer”
Dayton Daily News, 24 February, 2018 – “Jury Recommends Death for Cleveland Schoolgirl’s Killer”
Fox – 8 WJW, 11 April, 2018 – “Ohio Senate Passes Bill Named for Alianna DeFreeze”
Fox – 8 WJW, 30 May, 2018 – “New Garden Honors the Memory of Alianna DeFreeze”
Fox – 8 WJW, 28 January, 2019 – “Lawsuit Filed”
