News

Rally for Justice

By: Josh Sims

NBC ATLANTIC CITY – A rally was held in Atlantic City Saturday afternoon to honor Nadirah Ruffin whose body was found in the Schuylkill River this past week.

Family and friends of Nadirah Ruffin gathered outside the house on the 800 block of North Maryland Avenue in hopes of bringing those responsible for her abduction to justice.

“We’re here to continue to lend our support to Nadirah and her family and also to let everybody know it’s not over yet, we need to find out who did this type of act and continue to protect our children,” said Steven Young, President of the local chapter of the National Action Network

Ruffin was abducted at gunpoint three weeks ago from her cousin’s house on North Maryland Avenue. Her body was discovered Tuesday in Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River with duct tape around her head and body and a handcuff around her ankle.

Her body was badly decomposed and she was positively identified through dental records according to authorities.

“We have some type of closure because we have Nadirah’s body back, but my prayer is now that the perpetrators will be found,” said Nadirah’s uncle Derek Ruffin.

Nadirah’s cousin Jennifer Morales, who last saw Nadirah a week before she was taken said the loss was particularly hard because her son Nasir Morgan used to play with Nadirah’s son Jahlil “Dink” Boston.

“We need somebody to step up, somebody saw something, somebody knows something,” said Morales. “We need justice for Dink, for the family, friends, people that appreciate her.”

The rally was also used to try and bring forward any information about the disappearance of Sierra Thomas, 19, who was last seen on the same block as Nadirah back in November of 2002.