In Syracuse, New York, the Mayor shed new light on a significant statistic while discussing the troubling details of finding the body of 5-year-old Nefertiti Harrison on Tuesday morning. One burning question from the public is about the standard protocol for the Syracuse City School District when a student is absent for over a month. The district stated that multiple attempts were made to locate Nefertiti before her tragic death, but officials acknowledge the challenges of keeping track of such cases.
Before her passing on January 6, Nefertiti Harris was attending McKinley-Brighton, and she was transferred to Meachem Elementary on January 16. The mother of the deceased child had previously informed the school that Nefertiti would be moving to Georgia to attend school there. Mayor Ben Walsh revealed that about 25% of Syracuse’s population moves at least once every year, emphasizing the disruptive impact on families and the support systems required to assist them.
Families moving in and out of the city have a profound effect, creating significant challenges for institutions and service providers. Mayor Walsh highlighted that issues like poverty, addiction, and mental health struggles are exacerbated by this constant migration. He stressed the importance of community agencies and government programs operating at the highest level to address these complexities effectively.