The scene shows what can happen when someone is brought in for questioning by police and that person doesnt know enough about their rights to ask for a lawyer, which (by American law) would put a stop to the questioning. And black police officers and officials that continue to work in these institutions of oppression and inequality should be shamed! Amory: But, they can look into the abductor to see if he has a pattern of similar offenses. It was one of the best movies l have seen all year! (document.removeEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",d),window.removeEventListener("load",d)):(document.detachEvent("onreadystatechange",d),window.detachEvent("onload",d))},d=function(){t||!document.addEventListener&&"load"!==event.type&&"complete"!==document.readyState||(t=!0,n(),e())};if("complete"===document.readyState)e();else if(document.addEventListener)document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",d),window.addEventListener("load",d);else{document.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",d),window.attachEvent("onload",d);var o=!1;try{o=null==window.frameElement&&document.documentElement}catch(a){}o&&o.doScroll&&!function c(){if(!t){try{o.doScroll("left")}catch(d){return setTimeout(c,50)}t=!0,n(),e()}}()}};
Christian with guilt decides to finally do his work properly finding himself in a race against time to help the family find the girl. It's a hodge-podge of a white deranged liberals view of society. Ben: But getting the full story has been impossible. Just asking me questions that no one really asked me before. Ben: Was that because your aunt was basically suggesting that you wouldn't necessarily keep staying with her if you, you know, did the wrong thing or something? This website is using Google Analytics. I don't wanna talk about it." Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. jQuery(wrapper).css('top', jQuery(window).height() * 0.4 - wrapper.outerHeight());
So I ended up in the mental hospital. And re-visiting her case. We didn't really care about anything. WTF??!? Especially when the person who ends up being responsible for drawing those clear lines, is really just a kid. IN A NUTSHELL: But we had very open, honest communication with each otherat one point. The ending which might have saved the film instead was like letting the air out of a tire. Ben: Some of this story, Monique has always known. I have to say I'm always more compelled to watch movies based on true events. Monique L Watson , 41 Lives in Texarkana, TX AKA: Monique James Related to: Mariah Carol Williams, Lacamry Williams, Neyamia A Watson +18 more Places Lived: Brooklyn NY, De Kalb TX Work: texas department of criminal justice , walmart - cake decorator View Reputation Profile Monique Carina Watson , 27 Lives in Macomb, MI Police dogs, helicopters and firefighters converged on the area where her car was found, but Michelle evaded the search. "She was crying and said, 'Somebody abused me in Louisiana,' and they wouldn't let her out of the house," Patel said. }
I didn't know. I thought it was weird but I didn't know what was going on. captainform_create_form_popup(popupParams);
And she immediately turned the bike around, started chasing after us, yelling. I want to go everywhere! His unannounced visit is a disaster. Police say Mumuni wanted to help her get paper work, but she resisted. Ben: Part of the reason is that shes estranged from her family, and her abduction is a touchy subject. Danielle built up a client base. Ben: This is a familiar refrain to anyone who has been close to drug addiction. There was nothing there. "I'm so hurt, and I'm crying for her, and I wish she could come back to me. 2022 The Oscars (TV Special) Dancer - Be Alive Some of the performances are over the top and there are slight technical issues, (i.e. var append_element = append_element || function(e){if(void 0==e)return!1;if(! One of the movies disturbing scenes is when taxi driver Yann Abellard (played by Baboucarr Camara) is brought in for brutal questioning by the NYPD. And I knew this guy. captainformCustomVars['772606'] = '';
Michael answers the door. Michelle was young and impulsive, and she felt incredible shame because her mother is a pastor, he said. There are so many things wrong with how the movie shows Christian doing his investigating. For starters, Christian wants to go to the Watson family home unannounced to talk to Moniques parents, but he doesnt know where they live. But maybe she wasnt asking as many either. elementType: "script",
And he just got off with child endangerment, a misdemeanor. "She's not some villain that needs to be holed down in her situation because of an error in judgment that she's made.". captainformDomReady(function() {
Monique N Watson is a 40 year old female who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ben: One of the reasons that Monique needs to solve this mystery of a day in her life when she was five years old, is that almost nobody in her family will talk to her about it. But minutes later, the full-uniformed officers returned. And it kind of made me think, "Actually, I don't know this guy. Amory: This Mary Poppins of libraries known as Pseudonymph on Reddit also had a useful tool at her disposal: access to pay-walled newspaper databases. This happened. It kind of made it more real. He grounds the reality of his scenes and steps into a vulnerability and humanity anchoring the darker moments of Still Here. Greg is more reluctant, and he feels guilty about possibly targeting someone who might be innocent. She was like, "None of that, nothing happened. Monique Watson, as Michelle called herself, scurried to a back room, told employees she had to deliver a message to a housekeeper and vanished as the family friend called the McMullen family. She began browsing online dating sites and decided she would move to California to meet up with a new man: Ibrahim Mumuni. I don't know the dates that it happened. Latasha Monique Watson, 36. var readyStateOverflowInterval;
It wasnt until she posted to Reddit that she found real leads and painful memories started flooding back. I watch STILL HERE this weekend and l have to say it was a great movie! But she left behind clues. "I said she was my daughter," Topka said. He gets a clue and runs a story claiming the police are not doing their job. A US Marshals fugitive team found the teen - who was in a distraught state - at about 5:30pm on Tuesday in Port Huron, Michigan, Deputy Marshal Robert Watson said. Hollywood has used the white savior trope for a long time as a structure to tell stories of POC. police say McMullen was a thief, and that's why she has been missing since September 2008. Monique: By the end of the day, he just dropped us off at a park and said, Oh, I have to go to work, stay here. And, you know, we were both cold. She recognized him, too. And he was glad to hear it. We're going to go to the beach." She was really depressed. });
All rights reserved (About Us). At this point in the story, Monique has been missing for eight days, and Michael is getting increasingly stressed-out because the police havent made any progress in the investigation. Kat: Let's find the house. She had been working at the hotel under the alias Monique Watson. It just makes you feel not worthy of that love and affection and like you need to search for it elsewhere. The choices I made to leave were mine and mine alone.". The Cast and Crew of 'Party Down' Discuss Beyonc's "Cuff It", PODCAST: TV Producer/Comic Creator Rodney Barnes and Actor William Jackson Harper, PODCAST: Actor Skyla ILece and Tech Entrepreneur DeJuan Strickland, PODCAST: Actor Kyla Pratt and Comedian Vir Das, Still Here Tells Incarcerated Black Women Experiences Through VR/AR Storytelling. And I ended up trying to kill myself. Ben: A mystery about a day shes just starting to fully remember again. "I really didn't have a plan. I do attend community college out here and I do a lot of odd jobs just to provide for myself. With public interest waning and time running out, Michael and Christian race to uncover the truth - and find Monique, before its too late. "It's not something that was thought out or intended as a way of evading. Regardless, shes on a mission to solve the mystery of what happened to her. (4,379) 5.5 1 h 37 min 2020 X-Ray 16+ When twelve-year-old African American girl Monique Watson goes missing in New York City, the police are apathetic and her father Michael is distraught. She was crying," Patel said. Its all part of her ending a cycle of pain created by generations of abuse and neglect in her family. But there's just so many things she's been through. It was becoming more clear that Michelle was not missing. I can't stop my life for her right now. In September 2008, Susquehanna Township police Detective Michael Thornton said he called Michelle McMullen and left a voicemail: Progress-Immanuel Presbyterian Church, from which she was fired for poor performance in July, had checked its books and found she had forged checks and made unauthorized pay raises to herself during the two years she worked there. The assignment lands in the hands of journalist Christian Baker (Whitworth), who at first pursues a false lead, turning the entire case upside down. She told me, "Yes, this could have been really dangerous, your mom owed him money. I'm still gonna prove them wrong. Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell pushed back on recent criticisms of her office by Gov. Whether you want to call it the projects or the hood, its still a ghetto stereotype. Monique Watson, as Michelle called herself, scurried to a back room, told employees she had to deliver a message to a housekeeper and vanished as the family friend called the McMullen family.. You did a really good job. });
Monique: A lot of the things that I've been through, I've always blamed myself. Amory: Monique doesnt know if her moms drug addiction played a role in her being abducted. Michelle McMullen of Harrisburg is charged with theft by deception, accused of stealing $20,000 from a Susquehanna Township church where she worked and using the money to pay for school, authorities said. type: "text/javascript",
You have been subscribed to WBUR Today. She had been searching for ways to get a fake ID, police said. Ben: And now that we know the name of Moniques abductor, we can find out that hes a registered sex offender in California. I always knew that it happened to me. var wrapper = jQuery('#captainformForm772605EmbedPopup63fffe99d7859');
When she got back to Dauphin County in March, Michelle told Detective Michael Thornton that she hadn't shared her real story with anyone while on the lam. Her story is a little unconventional from a police perspective. I would have anxiety about going to the beach. Something went wrong while submitting the form. Now, she said, Were excited, and were thanking God thats shes been found alive.. She was kicked out. 'Still Here' is set in the aftermath of the. Then came the summer of 1992. What's crazy is that another similar story was in the news only one week after the principal photography wrapped up and it happened just a few blocks from where the movie was filmed. }, 10);
Amory: Through all of this, Monique was finding her way. People with a last name Watson live more in California, Georgia and are mostly not married, with a median household income of $284,716. He abruptly gets up in the middle of the meeting and announces, This aint right, before storming out. Johnny Whitworth is raw and unfiltered. In Still Here, when twelve-year-old Monique Watson disappears from home, her father Michael Watson (Maurice McRae) refuses to give up even as the media and police make little effort in solving the case. }, 50);
It makes you feel, and makes you think whether everyone is caring for one another enough. She had friends. Or the other girl. McMullens mother, the Rev. Amory: Moniques friends on the other hand, have wanted to talk about it. The two subordinates whove been tasked with most of the investigation are black cop Anthony Evans (played by Danny Johnson) and white cop Greg Spaulding (played by Jeremy Holm), who have very different views on how they should handle the case. She had roommates, and got a job at the Creative African Braids and Beauty shop, a Korean-run salon owned by Leemu Topka. And it pulled up about 40 different newspaper articles. Its as simple-minded and formulaic as it sounds. The show had reached out to local police and the McMullen family, and aired an hourlong profile in January 2009. Maurice McRae on Emotional Drama of Still Here [Exclusive Interview], Johnny Whitworth on Playing An Investigative Journalist in Still Here [Exclusive Interview], Jeremy Holm on Playing a Conflicted Cop in Still Here [Exclusive Interview], The Mandalorian S3 Episode 1 Review: ROUGH START!!! Still Here also wants to have its cake and eat it too: It portrays the New York Police Department as racist and corrupt, but the movies entire concept is based on the over-used, racially condescending trope that black people are helpless until a white savior comes along to solve their problems. I just have a lot of people to prove wrong. Although the interrogation methods are over-the-top, its one of the few times in the movie where there is some realism. "And kept to herself and claims not to have known about the TV show, never Googled herself during that time frame. if (document.getElementById('captainform_js_global_vars') == null) {
She became part of a family. But, at the same time, I'm really scared to even talk to her about it because what if she doesn't remember at all? And so we decided to just try to find someone to help us. With the exception of a 30 second scene with the fantastic actress Zazie Beetz, and the actors that play the parents, the acting was hideous. | TCR, Mando S3E1: The Apostate Review Fun Without Meaning, Design Without Thought, Disney+s Peter Pan & Wendy Teaser Trailer Showcases Familiar Characters, Creed III Black Carpet Interviews with Cast and Guests, Kogonada Rumored To Direct Episodes Of Star Wars: The Acolyte | Barside Buzz, Both Blade And Deadpool 3 Set To Begin Filming May This Year | Barside Buzz, Mandalorian Exec Producers Discuss Moving On Without Cara Dune, DC Spotlight February 28, 2023: The Comic Source Podcast, Arnold Schwarzenegger Stars In Netflixs FUBAR, His First Television Project, Vlad Feier on Child Abduction Story for Still Here [Exclusive Interview]. An amber alert that had gone out, was lifted. In Oakland, Calif., they knew her as Danielle Jones, the adopted daughter of abusive parents who left her Chicago home with no money or identification. This content was originally created for audio. Come in the car with me. And we were playing in the front yard and this guy came up. The police dont seem to care, but a crusading white journalist decides to do his own investigation, and hes the only one who can get things done and save the day. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Source: LRM Online Exclusive, Blue Fox Entertainment. elementType: "script",
And he was like, Oh, your mom needs you. Monique: My mom started getting really heavily into drugs and that resulted in my aunt actually getting custody of me. textContent: 'var frmRef=""; try { frmRef=window.top.location.href; } catch(err) {}; var captainform_servicedomain="app.captainform.com";var cfJsHost = "https://";',
And when I brought it up, it was kind of a taboo thing to talk about. are doolittle trailers any good; turkey trot madison, ct 2021; full swing golf simulator vs foresight Monique: I don't have good communication with my family. captainForm772605PreloadInterval63fffe99d7859 = setInterval(function(){
Hes been in jail for a separate, more recent crime. McCrae is given a few scenes where he convincingly expresses anguish as the father of a missing child whom the police dont seem to care about, while Wentworth doesnt seem to have a lot emotionally invested in his drab role as Christian. ", The family is refusing to dwell on what happened but is instead focusing on helping Michelle rebuild. if(typeof cfJsHost != 'undefined'){
Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy. I have a lot of goals. Amory: After processing this new information, and her own new memories about the incident, Monique wanted justice. And after that, I was reunited with my mom. She abandoned her car, her keys, her ID, her purse, money, wallet -- everything, including a budget that showed she was running out of money for classes. We didn't really trust each other. And by me talking to her and having a conversation with her, you know, it could trigger things that just might have been better off not addressed for her because, you know, everyone's different. But for me, it seemed like I wasn't allowed to make mistakes. And it was a huge change from always hopping around to actually being in a set place for about, I want to say five, six years of my life. };
The V.O. Her father says Michelle has always admitted to cashing two "extra" paychecks, which came to her accidentally in 2008. She talked her way out of a minor traffic stop with police and was even able to keep a low profile for 12 months after being featured on the Investigation Discovery show "Disappeared." Josh Crane Twitter Producer, Podcasts & New ProgramsJosh is a producer for podcasts and new programs at WBUR. I couldn't shower. Basically, he was found at fault for dropping the children off in the park and leaving them alone. Let's just say that. Jerry tells Christian: You havent been delivering for too long. Because people around them, who love them, have to draw clear lines. They keep the same name and move around a lot. append_element({
Michelle still talks to Topka through letters, and Mumuni said he has contact with the McMullen family -- her real family. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). She goes to work one of her part time jobs at 6pm until about 11. Susquehanna Twp. This story of human trafficking will change everything you thought you knew about it: This movie is filled with raw emotion and symbolism that will have your eyes watering throughout. Also known as Shereemo Monique Watson, Monique Sher, Monique Monique Watson. But these actors were so powerful in their performance that I actually felt their pain not only because they were black but because their daughter was black and no one cared. But that Friday, Sept. 26, 2008, when Michelle got an unexpected day off from work at McDonald's, she made a decision to pack up her boy and secretly drive 18 hours through the night to the midstate. And we didnt. Its one of the movies many unrealistic moments, because the taxi driver isnt a suspect. Hes not even a person of interest, because theres no proof that this taxi driver had any contact with Monique. She was maybe two years older than me. I got kidnapped because I was dumb enough to go in the car." Im desperate for any help/guidance/advice.. I want to go to different countries. Don't hesitate to reach out with reactions to episodes, ideas for future stories, feedback about the show, or just to say hi. Ben: This home life, is what led to Monique running away when she was 17. By what name was Still Here (2020) officially released in Japan in Japanese? She was running. Michelle took a job at a McDonald's to try to keep up with her bills and talked to her parents about sending her son back to live with them. 5 min read. I think I started last year getting into Reddit. And just hung up and hasn't spoke to my god-sisteror even tried to reach out to me since then. resize77260663fffe99d76c9(wrapper);
And I'm just tired of being disappointed. The guy who appears to be the leader of the group is named Reggie Green (played by Leopold Manswell), and he can immediately tell that Christian isnt street-smart at all and takes full advantage of Christians ignorance. Michelle's mother notified Harrisburg police, who called officers in Martinsburg. And, honestly, all of my friends have that attitude. Amory: What happened next is another blurry part of Moniques memory about the abduction. Thank you! He pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment a misdemeanor. Check the search for errors or try a different search. I felt it was missing something not sure what it was but something was missing.i felt it tried to hard.good attempt though. Monique: Thanks to the advice that Reddit gave me, they were telling me to go to the local police station, Ventura County, and ask for my records. (Christian doesnt show any identification, by the way.) type: "text/javascript",
However, Michaels wife Tiffany is more willing to listen to what Christian has to say. Monique: I always knew about the kidnapping. That tip led the Oakland, Calif., police departments Fugitive Task Force to McMullen at her job at a beauty supply store. And the evidence of that is in a special folder on Moniques desk. She spent 28 months on the run, never speaking of her son, who was 6 years old when she left. They said she was someone else. var append_element = append_element || function(e){if(void 0==e)return!1;if(! The rest of the missing money was the result of bad accounting practices that Michael McMullen says were already in place at the Progress-Immanuel church. "Still Here" begins with distraught father Michael Watson (played by Maurice McRae) putting up missing-person flyers about his 10-year-old daughter Monique (played by Zariah Singletary) in the New York City neighborhood where they live. A 14-year-old girl who was reported missing in 2021 has been found pregnant in the closet of a Michigan home. It was a failed suicide attempt. Amory: One: it will help a lot if someone else can corroborate her story. When viewers first see Christian, he tells his editor boss Jerry Hoffman (played by Larry Pine) that he doesnt want to cover a charity event because its not hard news. BGN interviews actor Maurice McRae who stars and produces the film Still Here. Please check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the film is playing in your area. In November 2008, the TV show "America's Most Wanted" posted a blurb about her on its website, but no leads came from that, either. The irony is that if she had just answered to this in 2008, she probably wouldve already served any time associated with these charges if convicted, Martin said. The continuation of this narrative is not in support of what it claims it stands for but rather of White people who carry the god complex. This movie should win an Emmy and an Oscar. Spanish speakers should call 1-888-577-4782. formId: '772605'
Im doing great right now. Christian introduces himself and tells Michael that hes from The Chronicle and wants to help with the investigation into Moniques disappearance. The reason we don't talk anymore, it's not because I hate her or I don't love her. AllRightsReserved. Ben: Every day, she wakes up at 6 or 6:30 in the morning. In Still Here, when twelve-year-old Monique Watson disappears from home, her father, Michael Watson (McRae), refuses to give up even as the media and police make little effort in solving the case. is monique watson still alive. Amory: This story, awful as it is, is incomplete. Ben: Two, its highly unlikely that police could dredge up physical evidence of what happened to Monique 15 years ago. Ben: But that same night that Monique and her friend Alyssa had been trying to find information online with no luck, Monique did something a little radical. Still Here was a Limited release in 2020 on Friday, August 28, 2020. Her parents said at the time they thought shed been removed from her car. (document.removeEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",d),window.removeEventListener("load",d)):(document.detachEvent("onreadystatechange",d),window.detachEvent("onload",d))},d=function(){t||!document.addEventListener&&"load"!==event.type&&"complete"!==document.readyState||(t=!0,n(),e())};if("complete"===document.readyState)e();else if(document.addEventListener)document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",d),window.addEventListener("load",d);else{document.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",d),window.attachEvent("onload",d);var o=!1;try{o=null==window.frameElement&&document.documentElement}catch(a){}o&&o.doScroll&&!function c(){if(!t){try{o.doScroll("left")}catch(d){return setTimeout(c,50)}t=!0,n(),e()}}()}};