Missing: Nevaeh Kingbird

In the annals of law enforcement’s greatest hits, the case of 15-year-old Nevaeh Kingbird stands out—not for its resolution, but for its glaring lack thereof. Nevaeh, a member of the Red Lake Nation, vanished from Bemidji, Minnesota, on October 22, 2021. Two years later, the investigation seems to have all the urgency of a sloth on tranquilizers.

On the night she disappeared, Nevaeh was last seen around 2 a.m. in the Southview Terrace Mobile Home Park area. She had been drinking with friends at home and fled the party to avoid the police and her mother’s reaction. The initial response from law enforcement was tepid at best.

The problem in their minds was that Nevaeh had run away before. They automatically assumed that this was the same old story–not an intoxicated teenager fleeing on foot into the frigid Bemidji night without any supplies or her personal items.

The family stated that when Nevaeh had run away in the past, she still kept in touch. She was active on social media and let people know where she was. And, she had taken her clothing and necessities with her. This time, however, there was nothing but crickets. She ran out of the house that night and vanished, and nobody is talking about it.

It took a full month for investigators to start asking questions—a month. In missing person cases, the first 48 hours are critical, but hey, what’s a few weeks between friends? When ground searches finally commenced in December 2021, they were sporadic and yielded no significant leads. In the land of ten thousand lakes, that kind of inefficiency is unacceptable. The family’s frustration grew as time passed, with little communication or action from the authorities.

Fast forward to September 2023, when the largest search effort for a missing Indigenous person in Minnesota’s history was organized. Over 100 volunteers, alongside local, tribal, state, and federal investigators, combed through more than 150 acres in Bemidji. To give you a comparison, 100 tourists searched for Natalie Halloway the day after she went missing before law enforcement could even organize anything official. The fact that it took two years to mobilize such a minimal effort is a testament to the systemic apathy toward missing Indigenous individuals.

The Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Office was established in 2021. Their involvement underscores the necessity of having dedicated organizations to advocate for marginalized communities—because relying on standard law enforcement protocols has proven about as effective as a screen door on a submarine.

As of today, January 1, 2025, Nevaeh remains missing. Her family continues to search, hope, and fight for her return, embodying a resilience that stands in stark contrast to the lethargy of the investigation. Their journey is a painful reminder of the disparities that exist within our justice system, where the cases of missing Indigenous individuals often receive less attention and urgency. They also receive significantly less media attention. I could only find four podcasts that briefly mention Nevaeh’s story which baffles me even further, especially considering one of them is a Dateline episode.

For those who wish to support Nevaeh’s family or have information regarding her disappearance, please visit the “Bring Nevaeh Kingbird Home” Facebook page. Additionally, you can listen to the Dateline: Missing In America podcast episode dedicated to Nevaeh’s case for more in-depth information.