Amory: The name of her abductor. Meth. The movie was poorly written and the acting was sub par with the exception of the players of the missing girls parents. But this is how black people are treated in this country and it's so sad that the victims are victimized over and over again. I discovered a Johnny Whitworth I never knew existed and got mesmerized by Maurice McRae. Ben: But she says all of her friends love Reddit and send her stories about how people solve all kinds of mysteries on Reddit. One thing that I'm learning to understand is that when you're a kid, you're gonna make mistakes, you're gonna get in trouble, you're gonna get grounded. Artist var append_element = append_element || function(e){if(void 0==e)return!1;if(! It wasn't until Dec. 15, 2008, when a McMullen family friend walked into the Knight's Inn in Martinsburg, W.Va., and spotted a familiar face working behind the counter. She endured and suffered and had to contend with difficulties in life that any penalty and incarceration would not near have matched.". Pseudonymph: Im a helper. And after the whole breakdown in the mental hospital, I couldn't take care of myself. I think that's just the way my brain protects myself from remembering that horrible time. This website is using Google Analytics. And hes out now. If convicted, Dauphin County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr. said, Michelle likely will be sentenced to the time she's served. }; Bed. It was one of the best movies l have seen all year! The irony of Michelle's story is that even if found guilty, she probably would not have spent any time behind bars had she stayed and faced her alleged crimes in 2008. I thought I was safe, I thought I was in good hands. While Michael is canvassing the neighborhood, looking for Monique and distributing the missing-person flyers, Michaels wife Tiffany (played by Afton Williamson) has had an opposite but equally distressed reaction: Shes become so depressed that she can barely leave the apartment where she and Michael live with their teenage son Andre (played by Jared Kemp), who has stopped going to school because Moniques disappearance has caused Andre to have panic attacks. Thank you! And when I actually searched his name and I saw his picture, my body started shaking. Using their copy store as a command center, they posted fliers around the neighborhood, asking anyone who had seen Michelle to come forward. } Still Here is a brave movie, raw, realistic, specially In the times we are living, the acting was superb!! Find Latasha Watson's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. Amory: A lot of Moniques life has not been routine. Let's just say that. Monique: My mom started getting really heavily into drugs and that resulted in my aunt actually getting custody of me. This happened. It kind of made it more real. Layla the 18-month-old Tabby found refuge on the family's chicken coop after swimming about 150 metres through raging floodwaters. Be the first to contribute. 4,731 following. I left my wallet and my keys in the car, and I just walked away.". I felt it was missing something not sure what it was but something was missing.i felt it tried to hard.good attempt though. Martin said she should be brought back to the area within seven to 10 days, and he does not expect to file any more charges against her. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. And I ended up trying to kill myself. And I hate the idea of somebody not being able to help heal themselves because somebodys keeping information from them. And she's like, "Do you even know who this guy is? And its really, to be completely honest, more than my actual family has shown me. And it will tell you all this information. Monique A Ashley, 49. And as we were driving to the beach, he had a couple of porn magazines and he ended up giving us the porn magazines and made us look through them and kind of suggested that we do that. Amory: Im Amory Sivertson, and you're listening to Endless Thread. captainform_create_form_popup(popupParams); Filled with guilt, Christian helps Michael in the search for his daughter, while facing resistance from the community, the police, and his own publication. I would get picked up from school and not be talked to and not be asked about my day, and then as soon as my cousins were in the car, it was like, "Oh, how was your day? ", One of the first things Michelle did when she came back was sit down with her son. People I don't know. Because Still Here lazily throws in as many negative African American clichs as possible in the movie, the Watson family lives in public housing. Gene Watson has an interesting . Limitless, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Amory: Which makes more sense when you learn that Moniques family has been caught in a cycle of violence. All rights reserved (About Us). Still Here is playing in select theaters August 28 and available On VOD September 4. Michelle got right back on the road. And what does Christian do with this speculation? I'm a white lady and old. This brings down a series of pains. Latasha Monique Watson, 36. "She avoided the police," Thornton said. music, sound effects, tone) are harder to translate to text. And we didnt. "Sure he missed his mother and had genuine concerns, but he's always believed she would come back one day and be reunited, which she did. Monique's personal mission is to inspire people to take strategic actions to advance their lives and careers and become their own best advocate. This episode contains accounts of childhood trauma and attempted suicide. She was crying," Patel said. So I didn't really talk to anyone about this. Movie Insider is a registered service mark of The Movie Insider LLC. I got kidnapped because I was dumb enough to go in the car." Shes got a boyfriend. The customers really liked her, Topka said. Monique: When my mom told me she was selling drugs, I knew that I couldn't tell anyone. The assignment lands in the hands of journalist Christian Baker (Whitworth), who at first pursues a false lead, turning the entire case upside down. 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. She has taxed the efforts of law enforcement in not just our state, but now across the country.. 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.. Maybe something even worse happened to her that she doesn't remember. 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. She spent 28 months on the run, never speaking of her son, who was 6 years old when she left. Movies. Monique Daniels was an average Oklahoma 15-year-old. captainform_preload_form_popup(popupParams); Our site uses cookies. Michael and Lillie McMullen aren't hurt or disappointed. 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. Even the initial storyline changed from Romania to New York and with a black family. setTimeout(function () { And just hung up and hasn't spoke to my god-sisteror even tried to reach out to me since then. 'Still Here' is set in the aftermath of the. 2022 The Oscars (TV Special) Dancer - Be Alive if('' == 'floating') { Danielle said she had no family, that she had run from her adoptive parents in Chicago because her father abused her. The reason we don't talk anymore, it's not because I hate her or I don't love her. Amory: After processing this new information, and her own new memories about the incident, Monique wanted justice. captainform_preload_form_popup(popupParams); And I'm really grateful because my god-sisteractually moved from Las Vegas to live with me. Its still early. And it's still stuck with me for 15 years. He said she never stole a cent. She plays Keysha, an ex-girlfriend of Marcus. When twelve-year-old African-American Monique Watson goes missing in Brooklyn, the police are apathetic and her father Michael is distraught. Josh Crane Twitter Producer, Podcasts & New ProgramsJosh is a producer for podcasts and new programs at WBUR. id: "captainform_js_global_vars", 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. . It's likely she never would have gone to prison. ; 31.08% are married and 44.60% are homeowners And it's always just been excuse after excuse. Overall it was a bit disjointed and sometimes off the wall. So they just completely didn't bring it up. Even if we knocked on the door being hungry, it was, Were busy right now. 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. Monique: I'm new to Reddit. February 22, 2023 . Michelle told police she spent every day with knots in her stomach, worried about being caught. 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. She always tries to make the best of out of everything. I want to go to Europe. But for me, it seemed like I wasn't allowed to make mistakes. Zazie Beetz shares top billing in this movie, probably because she has a red-hot career right now, but her headlining status for this movie is misleading. What did you do at practice? Johnny Whitworth is raw and unfiltered. If her family wont talk, the other girl who was abducted might be the only person left. The thriller, which the filmmaker co-scribed with Peter Gutter, is now playing in select theaters, as well as on VOD, courtesy of Blue Fox Entertainment. var wrapper = jQuery('#captainformForm772605EmbedPopup63fffe99d7859'); } But we had very open, honest communication with each otherat one point. In fact, children go missing around the world. ; 17.57% of Monique Watsons have university degree, while 12.16% have only high school diploma. They dont get medals for that., Christian eagerly takes the assignment. At various times in the movie, there are other people who fall under suspicion about Moniques disappearance, including her brother Andre and a neighbor in his 20s named Marcus Mitchell (played by Justin A. Davis), who lives on the same floor as the Watson family. "I heard a guy asking her: 'Tell me the truth. Includes Address (11) Phone (1) Email (1) See Results. With public interest waning and time running out, Michael and Christian race to uncover the truth - and find Monique, before its too late. var popupParams = { Amory: She wrote the post, and went to bed. I don't know the dates that it happened. Watch the exclusive interview below and let us know what you think. 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. Ben: This is a familiar refrain to anyone who has been close to drug addiction. 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. else if ('' == 'right') if (document.getElementById('captainform_js_global_vars') == null) { Susquehanna Twp. jQuery(wrapper).find('a').removeAttr('href'); var popupTrigger = jQuery("#captainformForm772605EmbedPopup63fffe99d7859"); clearInterval(captainForm772605PreloadInterval63fffe99d7859); I don't wanna talk about it." "I knew that if I talked to my parents, they'd convince me to go back home, and I was still afraid.". One thing led to the other, and it spiraled out of control. Culture Audience:Still Here will appeal mostly to people who dont mind watching predictable B-movies with mediocre acting and a lot of badly written scenes. I was in awe during the whole movie. 7,061 Followers, 4,731 Following, 323 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Monique Watson (@piinklemonade_) piinklemonade_ Follow. The friend who had been watching Michelle's son turned over a note scribbled from Michelle that said she needed time to think. Then came the summer of 1992. Small forms of validation for vague memories from 15 years ago. Michelle was young and impulsive, and she felt incredible shame because her mother is a pastor, he said. I don't consider her somebody else.". I believed that I deserved absolutely everything bad that's ever happened to me. And she had the time to get better and she had the time to get back on her feet. She made sure I ate. Most of them are men. append_element({ A New York journalist who gets assigned the story of a missing African-American young girl, risks his career and takes the matter into his own hands trying to find her. She always called me Mommy," Topka said. Amory: Step 1: try to find the address of the house Monique and her mom were living in when she was taken from the front yard. The lies, the avoidance -- it was all necessary for survival. Don't hesitate to reach out with reactions to episodes, ideas for future stories, feedback about the show, or just to say hi. I want to go to different countries. Monique has always known she was abducted as a child, but specific details about what happened, and why, have been elusive. "I am very ashamed to say that I never called my parents to tell them that I was OK," she wrote in a statement. Ben: Kats ingenuity got the ball rolling for Monique. It was nice but at the same time, my aunt wasn't like my mom. Please click here if you want to opt-out. Moniques abductor got off with a slap on the wrist 15 years ago. I go to therapy now because of this. 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. I enjoyed the story and the beautiful acting. But her case file, with all the information about the police investigation, thats a different story. jQuery(wrapper).css('top', jQuery(window).height() * 0.4 + wrapper.width() + wrapper.css('padding').replace('px', '') * 2); Michelle was a 27-year-old student at Grambling State University in Louisiana who had just moved south with her son to finish a few courses after taking the majority of her classes online from Harrisburg. "She's already served more time than guidelines call for," Michael McMullen said. "She told me she don't have a kid. Not to mention, the timing of the films release relates to the current affairs in the United States today. This movie was so poorly done I find it hard to believe the good reviews here aren't fake. Vlad Feier understands hundreds of thousands of children are missing in the United States. You have been subscribed to WBUR Today. "He came and [Monique] said: 'Please, I don't need it. Regardless, this was difficult for Monique to learn. 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. That whole experience made me realize I really have good friends because all my friends came to visit me when I was in the mental hospital. "This really sucks. The acting and the photography are both marvelous. Anthony has no problems carrying out their boss orders to find and arrest a suspect, regardless if theres no evidence. 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. popupTrigger.css('visibility', 'visible'); Its just an incredibly lazy and culturally tone-deaf film that offers nothing thats impressively creative. To her father, the only explanation was that Michelle was forcibly removed. They'll give you the case number. Lisa and Paul Watson on the back section of their Pakowhai home. The next time that Still Here director Feier makes a movie, lets hope he makes an attempt to tell the story in a more authentic way. I really didn't know what was going on because I thought we were going to see my mom. The NYPD asks anyone with information about Monique's full identity or what happened to her is asked to call 1-800-577-TIPS. Her story is a little unconventional from a police perspective. And they started asking Topka who Danielle was to her. append_element({ }, 50); Monique: And I was also realizing a lot of thoughts that I have were tied to that specific incident. Because she's considered a flight risk, Michelle has spent four months behind bars, waiting for a trial that hasn't been scheduled. The Moore teenager dreamed of being a doctor and having a family of her own. It wasn't until she posted to Reddit that she found real leads and. } captainformThemeStyle['772605'] = ''; I'm not prejudiced at all but I can see this same thing happens a lot in real life. It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. formId: '772605' They told Monique they throw out case files for misdemeanors after 10 years. McMullen disappeared while police were investigating the theft of about $10,000 from Progress-Immanuel Presbyterian Church, where she worked. This content was originally created for audio. Trying to get the assignment behind, he quickly and poorly researches the story and goes with the first lead. breaking 180 line). She really helped me. "They missed her by minutes," Thornton said. "She's a good kid," he said. Ben: Monique says she and her mom stayed in Iowa, picking up work wherever they could, from kindergarten up until just before 6th grade. how many super bowls did dan marino win. And the performance of the entire cast is superb but the guy that played the dad.man you need your own reward. 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. popupTrigger.css('visibility', 'visible'); But cocaine is expensive. She goes home, maybe a little more school work. Do you know what happened to you?" She actually told me, Oh, you're gonna be on the news. Amory: Monique doesnt know if her moms drug addiction played a role in her being abducted. As a Limited release, Still Here will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets. She goes to work one of her part time jobs at 6pm until about 11. "Some guy was abusing her every day. i would rate this an 8 but they brought it down. 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. She phoned Michelle's parents, who immediately called Harrisburg police to report Michelle missing. "She was crying and said, 'Somebody abused me in Louisiana,' and they wouldn't let her out of the house," Patel said. Heads up that some elements (i.e. Christian goes to the building and looks at the mailboxes to find out which one is for the Watsons apartment. All of them were so supportive. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Filled with guilt, Christian helps Michael in search for his daughter, while facing resistance from the community, the police, and his publication. It's not easy. We just realized like, oh, they were probably doing drugs together. Amory: Monique got a lot of love and support. The movie stars Johnny Whitworth (Limitless), Maurice McRae (Random Acts of Flyness), Zazie Beetz (Joker), Afton Williamson (The Night Of), Larry Pine (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and Jeremy Holm (Mr. As for the corrupt and racist NYPD cops, theres a scene where the cases chief investigator Captain Hardwick (played by Steven Hauck) tells a white subordinate cop what he thinks about the media attention over the case: Im not losing my job because some black little bitch got lost on the way home. Captain Hardwick essentially tells his underlings to find and arrest a suspect, even if theres no real evidence against that person. I know it's a movie but it's all to real day to day life for many black people living in America. This movie is about a missing girl. "I cried for her, and that's why I really opened up my heart to her," Tokpa said. 's were not necessary and distracted from the behavior of the two leads. Get Started For 15 years, all Monique has had are the fragments. 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