Breasia Terrell remembered after 1-year anniversary of her disappearance
Today marks one year since 10-year-old Breasia Terrell first disappeared.
She went missing on July 10 of last year in northeast Davenport. Members of the community formed search parties throughout the city, on Credit Island and in Clinton County.
She was found dead near DeWitt in March more than eight months after she was last seen.
July 10th. The day Breasia Terrell disappeared shook the community to its core. Immediately, people from all over the area rallied to try and bring Breasia home by organizing numerous search parties to assist police at Credit Island and in Clinton County.
“Most of these people who are here don’t know the family at all, I certainly don’t know them, I have grandkids myself if one of my kids, grandkids I’d want somebody to help,” said Jay Kadner, volunteer.
Breasia’s mother, Aishia Lankford, joined the search shortly after and said she appreciated the community effort to bring Breasia home.
“I appreciate those that it touched. Those who face my daughter touched. Those who came out and actually bought t-shirts, you know out here in the son getting bit up,” Lankford said.
In November, as police continued looking for answers, a walk took place outside the apartment complex where she was last seen. It was there she shared with Local 4 News the last conversation she had with Breasia.
“She was telling me that she was learning how to be an AT&T agent because Andrea, you know, she’s an AT&T agent. And she was pretty excited about being a worker when she just got an inside look at things with the Bluetooth and everything like that, and she had told me she loved me and goodnight,” Lankford said.
After not hearing anything from authorities for months, two fishermen were out at a lake in DeWitt where they made a horrifying discovery.
“Two local fisherman what was believed to be human remains,” said Bill Greenwalt, Clinton County Sheriff. When deputies arrived they immediately notified our investigations unit, the command staff, and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.”
On March 31, Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski had to fight back tears as he delivered the devastating news to the Quad Cities that the human remains found in DeWitt were those of Breasia.
“This news is heartbreaking to both Breasia’s family and our Davenport community,” Sikorski said.
There was one thing that was left after her remains were identified: Bring the killer to justice.
FInally, “This morning Henry Earl Dinkins was charged in the death of 11-year-old Breasia Terrell,” said Scott County State’s Attorney Mike Walton.
Henry Dinkins, 48, accused of murder in the case, currently is in the Clinton County Jail after waiving the right to a speedy trial. His trial will now begin on Valentine’s Day of 2022.
The trial is expected to last about two weeks.
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