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The Disappearance of Ja'Niyah McMichael
● Foul Play Confirmed — Still Missing
Child Victim
$30,000 Reward
Indiana
Ja'Niyah McMichael
| Full Name | Ja'Niyah McMichael |
| Age | 13 at disappearance (now 14) |
| Birthday | April 28 |
| Height | 5'0" |
| Weight | 110 lbs |
| Hair / Eyes | Black, shoulder length / Brown |
| Last Wearing | Black pajama pants, black hoodie, red and black shoes |
| Mother | Jasmine McMichael |
| Ties To | Gary and East Chicago, Indiana |
About Ja'Niyah
Ja'Niyah McMichael
Ja'Niyah McMichael was 13 years old and living with her mother, Jasmine McMichael, in Gary, Indiana, when she disappeared on August 12, 2024. She would have started 8th grade just days after she was reported missing. She turned 14 on April 28, 2025, while still missing. Her grandmother, Dalia Guerrero, described Ja'Niyah as someone who brightened up every room she entered, full of joy and warmth. Guerrero shared videos of the two of them dancing together in TikTok videos and celebrating birthdays, and said Ja'Niyah was like one of her own children rather than a grandchild.
Her biological father, Antonio Rogers, spoke at a balloon release held on her birthday and promised never to stop looking for his daughter. Her grandmother has said that Ja'Niyah should be with her friends, getting ready for high school, living her life. Her family has maintained hope while also preparing themselves for the worst, with Guerrero saying that if Ja'Niyah is gone, they need to bring her home so she can be laid to rest as she deserves.
Ja'Niyah has known connections to both Gary and East Chicago, Indiana. Very few details about the circumstances of her disappearance have been released publicly, as the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Case Update — August 2025
On August 12, 2025, the one-year anniversary of Ja'Niyah's disappearance, the Gary Police Department and the FBI renewed calls for information. The total reward has grown to $30,000, with $20,000 from the FBI and City of Gary and an additional $10,000 contributed by USPA Nationwide Security. Investigators continue to actively search for her remains. No arrests have been made and no persons of interest have been publicly identified.
01
Background
What We Know
Ja'Niyah McMichael was reported missing by her mother, Jasmine McMichael, on August 12, 2024, from their home on the 1900 block of Malcolm X Boulevard in Gary, Indiana. She was 13 years old. Details about the specific circumstances of her disappearance have not been publicly released by law enforcement, as investigators have stated that doing so could compromise the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
In early October 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at the family's home. No information from that search was publicly disclosed. By April 2025, the FBI and Gary Police Department formally announced that investigators believe Ja'Niyah was the victim of foul play and that they are actively searching for her remains. She has known connections to both Gary and East Chicago, Indiana, and investigators have noted those ties as relevant to the case.
The Gary Police Department has confirmed that detectives have processed numerous tips, conducted interviews, and analyzed evidence since Ja'Niyah's disappearance. The case has evolved from an urgent missing person search into a sustained criminal investigation with active federal and local law enforcement involvement. No arrests have been made. No persons of interest have been publicly named. Law enforcement continues to urge anyone with information to come forward, stating that every detail matters no matter how small it may seem.
02
Case Timeline
How It Unfolded
August 12, 2024
Ja'Niyah Reported Missing
Jasmine McMichael reported her daughter Ja'Niyah, 13, missing from their home on the 1900 block of Malcolm X Boulevard in Gary, Indiana. Ja'Niyah was last seen at the home wearing black pajama pants, a black hoodie, and red and black shoes. The Gary Police Department opened an investigation. She would have started 8th grade just days later.
October 2024
FBI Executes Search Warrant at Family Home
The FBI executed a search warrant at the McMichael family home. The Gary Police Department stated that no details from the search would be released to preserve the integrity of the investigation. The FBI became an active partner in the case alongside local investigators.
April 28, 2025
Foul Play Confirmed — $20,000 Reward Announced
On what would have been Ja'Niyah's 14th birthday, the FBI and City of Gary publicly confirmed that investigators believe she was a victim of foul play and that they are actively searching for her remains. A $20,000 reward was announced, split equally between the FBI and the City of Gary, for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Her grandmother addressed her publicly, saying: "Ja'Niyah, wherever you may be today, your nana loves you. Happy birthday wherever you are."
August 12, 2025
One Year — Reward Grows to $30,000
On the one-year anniversary of Ja'Niyah's disappearance, the Gary Police Department and the FBI renewed their public call for information. An additional $10,000 was contributed by USPA Nationwide Security, bringing the total reward to $30,000. The Gary Police Department reaffirmed its commitment to the case, noting that the investigation had evolved from an urgent search into a sustained effort with continued federal and local support. Ja'Niyah has not been found.
Ongoing
Active Investigation — No Arrests
The FBI and Gary Police Department continue to investigate. Detectives have processed tips, conducted interviews, and analyzed evidence. No persons of interest have been publicly named and no arrests have been made. Investigators continue to ask the public to come forward with any information, no matter how small.
03
Investigation
The Investigation
The Gary Police Department and the FBI are jointly investigating Ja'Niyah's disappearance as a suspected homicide. The FBI executed a search warrant at the family home in October 2024. In April 2025, investigators formally stated to the public that they believe Ja'Niyah was a victim of foul play and that they are actively searching for her remains, indicating investigators believe she is deceased and that her body has not yet been recovered.
Very few details about the specific evidence gathered have been released publicly. The Gary Police Department has confirmed that investigators have known connections to both Gary and East Chicago to follow in the case. Detectives have processed numerous tips, conducted interviews, and continued to analyze evidence in the months since her disappearance. The investigation is described by law enforcement as active, ongoing, and shaped by new information as it comes in.
No arrests have been made. No persons of interest have been publicly identified. Law enforcement has stated that releasing further details could compromise the integrity of the investigation. Advocates from Case Files Chicago, a community organization working to prevent violence and bring closure to families in the Chicago and Northwest Indiana region, have also been involved in raising public awareness of Ja'Niyah's case.
04
Help Bring Ja'Niyah Home
If You Have Information
Investigators believe someone in the community has information that can help bring resolution to this case. A $30,000 reward is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Tips can be submitted anonymously. Law enforcement asks the public to share any detail, no matter how small it may seem, as every piece of information shapes the investigation.
FBI Tip Line — $30,000 Reward
1-800-225-5324
Or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov — all tips can be submitted anonymously.
Coalition Tip Line
You can also submit information through the Coalition for the Murdered and Missing tip line.
Submit a Tip →
05
In Her Name
She Is Not Forgotten
Ja'Niyah McMichael was 13 years old. She should have started 8th grade. She should have gotten ready for high school. She turned 14 while she was still missing and her grandmother stood in front of cameras and said happy birthday to wherever she was, because that is what you do when someone you love is gone and you cannot reach them. You keep talking to them anyway.
Ja'Niyah is described as someone who brightened up every room she entered. Her grandmother danced with her in TikTok videos and said she was like one of her own children. Her father promised at a balloon release that he would never stop looking for her. Her family has said that if she is gone, they need to bring her home so she can be laid to rest as she deserves. That is not a small thing to say. That is a family holding on to love and dignity in the face of the worst kind of uncertainty.
Ja'Niyah McMichael is a Black girl from Gary, Indiana. Her case deserves the same urgency and visibility as any other missing child. She is not forgotten. If you know something, please say something.
"She brightens up the room, she's so full of joy. She should be with her friends having fun, getting ready for high school. We just want her home."
Dalia Guerrero, Ja'Niyah's Grandmother — August 2025
Resources
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: 1-800-843-5678 — 24/7 resource for missing children cases.
Black and Missing Foundation: blackandmissinginc.com — Dedicated to raising awareness for missing Black women and girls.
Case Files Chicago: Community-based advocacy organization working to prevent violence and bring closure to families in the Chicago and Northwest Indiana region.
Sources
FBI Indianapolis Field Office — Public Statement, April 30, 2025 | ABC7 Chicago — Foul Play Confirmed, April 29, 2025 | ABC7 Chicago — One Year Anniversary, August 12, 2025 | FOX 32 Chicago — $30,000 Reward, August 12, 2025 | NewsNation — $20,000 Reward Announced, April 30, 2025 | WNDU — FBI and Gary Offering Reward, April 28, 2025 | WGN — FBI Update and Search Warrant, April 2025 | FBI Official Missing Person Flyer — Ja'Niyah McMichael
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