WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police issued an Amber Child Abduction Alert for the Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia County on Monday, January 14, 2013 when 5 year old Nai'lla Robinson was found missing from Bryant School when her day care provider arrived to pick her up; and
WHEREAS, The State Police's Amber Alert for Nai'lla stated that Nai'lla was taken from Bryant Elementary School at 8:50 a.m. by a woman wearing a traditional Muslim burqa, naqib (face covering) and black gloves; and
WHEREAS, Nai'lla had been dropped off for kindergarten only five minutes earlier by her mother; and
WHEREAS,
Surveillance footage
shows the girl walking through hallways with the unknown woman, who has not been found; and
WHEREAS, We recognize the potential misuse of religion in this particular circumstance; and
WHEREAS, Many African-American leaders from Philadelphia partnered to offer a cash reward for finding Nai'lla that surpassed $105,000; and
WHEREAS, This extraordinary response from citizens of Philadelphia began when two dozen African American men combined their resources to offer $10,000; and
WHEREAS, This brought the total reward to $30,000 when Mayor Michael A. Nutter and the Fraternal Order of Police also each offered $10,000; and
WHEREAS, These partners came from all sectors of Philadelphia including the clergy, community organizers, education, law, business and elected officials; and
WHEREAS, Nai'lla's abduction resulted in an outpouring of support and prayers from the public, including celebrities such as NBA superstar Kobe Bryant and former Xscape singer Tameka Harris; and
WHEREAS, A man named Nelson Mandela Myers walking down the street on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 around 4:40 a.m. heard cries for help and found
Nai'lla Robinson
underneath a jungle gym clad only in a t-shirt; and
WHEREAS, She was taken to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was evaluated for hypothermia and reunited with her mother; now therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Council of the City of Philadelphia, Hereby recognizes the State House and State Senate's efforts in investigating the potential misuse of religion to commit crimes particularly in the case of Nai'lla Robinson, who was abducted from her Bryant School classroom.
End