The death of Quawan “Bobby” Charles has captured the attention of the nation. On October 30 the 15-year-old from Baldwin, Louisiana was reported missing by his family. Tragically, his body was found 20 miles away from his home four days later.
An attorney for the family cites the Baldwin Sheriff Department’s lack of action when Quawan was first reported missing as a contributing factor in what happened to Quawan.
Quawan's family said police told them, “He’s probably at a football game,” in response to reporting the teen missing.
The case is continuing to develop with phone recordings and an independent autopsy report adding to the growing evidence that foul play was involved in the teen’s death.
Now Quawan’s mother is speaking out.
In an exclusive interview with Good Morning America, Roxanne Nelson spoke out on her son’s murder.
“I cannot sleep at night like I want to. I’m constantly thinking about my son, and trying to figure out exactly how he died,” she said in an interview with the news outlet.
The family’s attorney cited at least six other missing child reports in Baldwin Parish, where the police contacted local media and state police who then issued an Amber Alert in all of these cases.
They did not do this in Quawan’s case and none of the other cases involved Black boys, according to the attorney’s findings.
The family believes this is the difference that contributed to his death, and that they could have saved Quawan if they acted sooner.
“They could’ve done more, and they didn’t. They didn’t do what they were supposed to do. Had they done what they were supposed to do, my son would be alive today,” she said.
Police did not track Quawan’s cell phone until the day they discovered his body in a sugar cane field.
Police officials stated that the initial report of Quawan’s disappearance didn’t indicate that he might be in danger.
Authorities are now reportedly “actively tracking” the whereabouts of the people last seen with Quawan.
A public funeral service was held for Quawan on Saturday, November 21. Nelson quoted Mamie Till Mobley, mother of Emmett Till, for her reasoning for sharing the autopsy photo of Quawan saying, “I wanted the world to see what they did to my son.”
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