It was the winter of 2021 when Philbert Shorty’s family found his abandoned car stuck in the mud outside the small community of Tsaile near the Arizona-New Mexico state line.
Generations of unaddressed trauma combine with substance abuse to create a dangerous recipe that often ends in violence, and law enforcement resources and social support programs are too sparse to offer much help.
Like others, Shorty's family now knows the suffering will linger despite the increased emphasis on solving such crimes.
Her group has conducted dozens of individual searches, and she has helped to build bridges between families and law enforcement to help families avoid feeling like their cases are falling through cracks.
“Even if (law enforcement) would just talk to the families, say, `We don’t have anything yet but we’re still working on it,' it would help," she said.
Persons:
Philbert, Ben Shorty, “, ”, he’d, Shiloh Aaron Oldrock, Oldrock's, Oldrock, Donald Trump, Deb Haaland, Biden, New Mexico Alexander Uballez, Shorty, ” Uballez, Uballez, Department's, ” Ben Shorty, Philbert Shorty, That's, couldn't, Darlene Gomez, Beyale, ‘, Erwin Beach, Beach, ” Beyale, I've, They're, ___ Sonner, Susan Montoya Bryan
Organizations:
Interior Department, Attorney, District, U.S ., Navajo Nation, FBI, Associated Press, Navajo, ’, AP
Locations:
Tsaile, Arizona, New Mexico, Navajo, , North Dakota, Indian Country, United States, Canada, U.S, Albuquerque, Farmington , New Mexico, Oldrock, Beach, Reno , Nevada, Albuquerque , New Mexico