And the fact that it will probably be a fellow African American doesnt seem to bother him in the least. Ben: But getting the full story has been impossible. But when police got to the hotel, she was gone. Culture Audience:Still Here will appeal mostly to people who dont mind watching predictable B-movies with mediocre acting and a lot of badly written scenes. What story ? var captainformDomReady = captainformDomReady || function(e){var t=!1,n=function(){document.addEventListener? I just have a lot of people to prove wrong. But her case file, with all the information about the police investigation, thats a different story. Still Here also wants to have its cake and eat it too: It portrays the New York Police Department as racist and corrupt, but the movies entire concept is based on the over-used, racially condescending trope that black people are helpless until a white savior comes along to solve their problems. It also made her moms refusal to talk make more sense. I couldn't get up out of bed. McMullens story on Investigation Discoverys Disappeared show initially in February 2010 and repeated. Culture Mix Survey Amory: What happened next is another blurry part of Moniques memory about the abduction. "She was crying and said, 'Somebody abused me in Louisiana,' and they wouldn't let her out of the house," Patel said. Or maybe her mom wanted to get them both away from this guy, who abducted her. This website is using Google Analytics. And my family felt like it was all their fault, too. "This really sucks. When 12-year-old Monique Watson disappears from home, her father Michael Watson (McRae) refuses to give up even as the media and police make little effort in solving the case. And when we got there we were playing in the water. Martin said she should be brought back to the area within seven to 10 days, and he does not expect to file any more charges against her. We just got back from the beach. Many people who run from crimes run from really big ones, such as murder or rape. However, it soon evolved into a narrative feature for Still Here to relay a better message under his vision. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "There was a letter that she had written about how she claimed to be a Katrina victim," Thornton said. Monique Daniels was an average Oklahoma 15-year-old. Monique and her mom went back to California for the funeral. She told Mumuni she was Danielle Jones, a native of Liberia who had moved to Chicago at age 3. "Let's not portray [her son] as a child whose life has fallen apart because his mother disappeared," her father, Michael McMullen, said. }); 17 people named Latasha Watson found in Houston, Aubrey and 19 other cities. "Still Here" begins with distraught father Michael Watson (played by Maurice McRae) putting up missing-person flyers about his 10-year-old daughter Monique (played by Zariah Singletary) in the New York City neighborhood where they live. Ben: A mystery about a day shes just starting to fully remember again. Anthony has no problems carrying out their boss orders to find and arrest a suspect, regardless if theres no evidence. setTimeout(function () { She didn't have the best life growing up. She told people that she wasn't a citizen and that her wallet had been stolen on a bus. Monique: Then he did take us back to his car but he made us get undressed. He grounds the reality of his scenes and steps into a vulnerability and humanity anchoring the darker moments of Still Here. Because of the subject matter you forgive a lot of it. But there are a lot of people who are really scared to just take that first step. Hes an African immigrant whos scared out of his mind, and he vehemently proclaims that hes innocent. Michelle McMullen of Harrisburg is charged with theft by deception, accused of stealing $20,000 from a Susquehanna Township church where she worked and using the money to pay for school, authorities said. Please click here if you want to opt-out. 'Still Here' is set in the aftermath of the. Then one morning in January, police came and took her away. I called her my daughter. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Christian Baker, a young New York journalist from The Chronicle, gets assigned to a social story about the disappearance of Monique Watson, a 12 years old African-American girl from Brooklyn. At various times in the movie, there are other people who fall under suspicion about Moniques disappearance, including her brother Andre and a neighbor in his 20s named Marcus Mitchell (played by Justin A. Davis), who lives on the same floor as the Watson family. Meth. And the evidence of that is in a special folder on Moniques desk. She left her child with a friend and made the woman promise to say nothing until Tuesday morning. The episode is an adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's short story : The Adventure of the Gre And why should they? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Monique has always known she was abducted as a child, but specific details about what happened, and why, have been elusive. And now I'm trying to be a lot kinder to myself. Johnny Whitworth is raw and unfiltered. And after the whole breakdown in the mental hospital, I couldn't take care of myself. The circumstances of this script are heavy, and the weight of the world is showcased. Ben: Monique has a god-sister, Sophia, who is one of her closest friends. Just asking me questions that no one really asked me before. Don't hesitate to reach out with reactions to episodes, ideas for future stories, feedback about the show, or just to say hi. Even if we knocked on the door being hungry, it was, Were busy right now. Filled with guilt, Christian helps Michael in search for his daughter, while facing resistance from the community, the police, and his publication. More drugs. All rights reserved (About Us). Patel wanted to help her. But another Redditor reacting to Moniques post, a librarian, found an actual lead. Doing chores. But minutes later, the full-uniformed officers returned. And we were playing in the front yard and this guy came up. And I just read through the bits and pieces that they had available and one of them sounded just like her. This screen capture from a screening of of "Disappeared" shows Michelle McMullen, center, along with an unidentified woman. Robot). Ron DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott on Tuesday . (document.removeEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",d),window.removeEventListener("load",d)):(document.detachEvent("onreadystatechange",d),window.detachEvent("onload",d))},d=function(){t||!document.addEventListener&&"load"!==event.type&&"complete"!==document.readyState||(t=!0,n(),e())};if("complete"===document.readyState)e();else if(document.addEventListener)document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",d),window.addEventListener("load",d);else{document.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",d),window.attachEvent("onload",d);var o=!1;try{o=null==window.frameElement&&document.documentElement}catch(a){}o&&o.doScroll&&!function c(){if(!t){try{o.doScroll("left")}catch(d){return setTimeout(c,50)}t=!0,n(),e()}}()}}; And he says her run wasn't calculated and cold, like it's been portrayed. }, true); Sign up for a chance to win prizes (such as free gift cards) and get priority alerts or invitations to the hottest lifestyle/culture news, discounts and promotions. This inflammatory and very unethical article, which could ruin an innocent mans reputation, sets off a chain of events, during which Still Here tries to hammer over viewers heads the ideas that all New York City police officers are corrupt and/or racist and that Christian is the only journalist who can find out what happened to Monique. Ben: Monique says she and her mom stayed in Iowa, picking up work wherever they could, from kindergarten up until just before 6th grade. Pseudonymph: And just looked up a few different search terms. Some of the performances are over the top and there are slight technical issues, (i.e. "Sure he missed his mother and had genuine concerns, but he's always believed she would come back one day and be reunited, which she did. And it kind of made me think, "Actually, I don't know this guy. We have to go to your mom. And, you know, I was a little kid, I'd seen this guy before. ("elementType"in e))return!1;var n=null;if(n=e.following?e.following.parentElement:e.inside?e.inside:e.replacing?e.replacing.parentElement:"script"==e.elementType?document.head:document.body,null==n)return!1;var l=document.createElement(e.elementType);delete e.elementType,l=jQuery.extend(l,e),e.replacing?n.replaceChild(l,e.replacing):n.appendChild(l)}; (4,379) 5.5 1 h 37 min 2020 X-Ray 16+ When twelve-year-old African American girl Monique Watson goes missing in New York City, the police are apathetic and her father Michael is distraught. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The choices I made to leave were mine and mine alone.". Reggie says that he doesnt think its a coincidence. She got so mad. Artist But I'm hoping by sharing my story, that more people, no matter how long ago it was, will go and seek help. 323 posts. 7,061 followers. Monique N Watson is a 40 year old female who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. }, 50); It's as simple-minded and formulaic as it sounds. "She didn't say, 'I'm just going to fall off the face of the earth for three years,'" he said. Lillie McMullen, said her family remained prayerful during the time her daughter was missing. But that's why we didn't even do the Amber Alert until way later, maybe two or three hours after.". The Moore teenager dreamed of being a doctor and having a family of her own. }); Michelle told police she spent every day with knots in her stomach, worried about being caught. She was running. Including a private message from a Redditor who related to parts of Moniques story. It is you, right?'" "I'm grateful that my parents never gave up on me," she wrote in a statement for police. But I knew I didn't want to face what was happening in Pennsylvania. } Shes doing the work. To her father, the only explanation was that Michelle was forcibly removed. Gene Watson has an interesting . And re-visiting her case. Superb acting from a largely unknown (by me, anyway) cast. I go to therapy now because of this. append_element({ The acting and the photography are both marvelous. Who agreed to take her in up until she turned 18. But, at the same time, I'm really scared to even talk to her about it because what if she doesn't remember at all? Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. It was a failed suicide attempt. We didn't really care about anything. Amory: One: it will help a lot if someone else can corroborate her story. The question of whether she was ever abducted, as her parents believe, or simply ran away to avoid charges, as police believe, might be settled in a courtroom. popupTrigger.click(function(){ BGN interviews actor Maurice McRae who stars and produces the film Still Here. In Oakland, Calif., they knew her as Danielle Jones, the adopted daughter of abusive parents who left her Chicago home with no money or identification. Broken promise after broken promise. Based on a true story - except it's not. The assignment lands in the hands of journalist Christian Baker, who at first pursues a false lead, turning the entire case upside down. All rights reserved (About Us). He pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment a misdemeanor. Monique: I hope one day we could re-patch our relationship and just be talking again. "People do some of the darnedest things," Michael McMullen said. Well feed you later, we'll do something later.. Its also because she knows much more about what happened to her. I can't stop my life for her right now. 2022 The Oscars (TV Special) Dancer - Be Alive I don't really know. I have to say I'm always more compelled to watch movies based on true events. According to the information online. The chain of telephone calls lasted minutes -- 10, 15 tops, said Thornton, the detective. Jerry tells Christian: You havent been delivering for too long. It was a good movie though, main characters were great, (Father and Reporter) If you can get past the over acting and try hard detectives (especially Johnny Holm) you'll love it. Christian eventually wins over the familys trust when he tells them that he doesnt like how the NYPD has been handling the case and he can do a better job than the police have been doing in investigating Moniques disappearance. I don't know where he is. is monique watson still alive. That tip led the Oakland, Calif., police departments Fugitive Task Force to McMullen at her job at a beauty supply store. But in this separate database. Maurice McRae, although theatrical at times, brings heartbreak and despair to a very tough role. The 2 main detectives were horrible actors. I know it's a movie but it's all to real day to day life for many black people living in America. Monique: My mom, she was abused by my grandma. popupTrigger.css('visibility', 'visible'); clearInterval(captainForm772606PreloadInterval63fffe99d76c9); This movie was so full of emotion. It was about 5.30pm when Paul's whistles got the attention of rescuers in a BP Surf . This guy was always around. Because they were black. And it will tell you all this information. Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell pushed back on recent criticisms of her office by Gov. So they were all going through similar things. elementType: "script", A 14-year-old girl who was reported missing in 2021 has been found pregnant in the closet of a Michigan home. Ben: Was that because your aunt was basically suggesting that you wouldn't necessarily keep staying with her if you, you know, did the wrong thing or something? And through therapy Monique has realized that knowing the full story about what happened to her is an important part of moving past it. What did you do at practice? Sacha Baron Cohen Has Screened A Secretly-Filmed Sequel To Borat. Do think he's in California still? "We were together like family. Also, a date: May 13th, 2005. Monique: We were so hungry, we ended up going to Carl's Jr. and they gave us these kids meals, the star-shaped nuggets, and that's kind of useless information because I don't remember anything else but I remember those star-shaped nuggets. Or the other girl. Christian Baker (Johnny Whitworth ) a reporter doe his own investigation to help locate her. Michelle ditched her whole life in the passenger seat of her black 2002 Honda Accord. Let's do a background check on your mom. This is a hard film to watch. Monique: Yes. You did a really good job. And I did keep it a secret, but I really had nothing else to compare it to. I have a lot of plans, I have a lot of dreams. My aunt treats me this way because I am I'm not good enough. It makes sense to Patel, looking back, how Monique resisted when he called a social worker behind her back, trying to help her get some legal paper work. She recognized him, too. "It's not something that was thought out or intended as a way of evading. Virtual Crunchyroll Expo Wrapped Up This Weekend with Huge Announcements and More! Living in the same area. As a Limited release, Still Here will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets. popupTrigger.click(function(){ Heads up that some elements (i.e. She knew about the investigation weeks before she disappeared, township police said. Still Here repeatedly uses the Watson familys social class as a way to make these African Americans look as pitiful as possible, so that when the savior comes along, he can look even more like a noble do-gooder. "I felt sorry for her," he said. She plays Keysha, an ex-girlfriend of Marcus. By Monday, the woman watching Michelle's son was worried. how many super bowls did dan marino win. This movie is about a missing girl. Amory: Moniques friends on the other hand, have wanted to talk about it. In Martinsburg, hotel manager Bipin Patel made sure she had clothing and a place to stay. She spent several months homeless, slipping away from police who were strained for good tips. Among some old clips of The Ventura County Star newspaper. Susquehanna Twp. captainformDomReady(function() { var popupParams = { Her family believed she was returning to Louisiana, and reported her missing when she didnt arrive at school. He said she never stole a cent. So I was like, Okay, yeah, he's a friend. We got in his car. Reggie has noticed that Christian is wearing an expensive watch, so its no surprise that Reggie tells Christian that he wont reveal any more information until Christian gives Reggie the watch, which Christian reluctantly and foolishly does. Reggie basically tells Christian that the only way that hell tell Christian where the Watson family lives is if Christian pays him. else if ('' == 'right') He discussed the origins of the script, changing the narrative and the timeliness of current events in America. Acting is intense and powerful. And she had the time to get better and she had the time to get back on her feet. There is an energy present in this film that supports and empowers white privilege. She made sure I took my medication. Oops! Still Here is currently playing in select theaters and on VOD. Something went wrong while submitting the form. 's were not necessary and distracted from the behavior of the two leads. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). formId: '772606' So I ended up in the mental hospital. clearInterval(captainForm772605PreloadInterval63fffe99d7859); She actually told me, Oh, you're gonna be on the news. Very sweet, very nice," Topka said. Monique: Thanks to the advice that Reddit gave me, they were telling me to go to the local police station, Ventura County, and ask for my records. I'm hurt, but no matter how the situation is, she's still a person who is my daughter.". We were unable to subscribe you to WBUR Today. The next time that Still Here director Feier makes a movie, lets hope he makes an attempt to tell the story in a more authentic way. It speaks volumes that the filmmakers wanted to make the African American cop a bigger villain than his white colleague. Youre walking a thin line here, sport. But lo and behold, Jerry has an idea for an assignment that Christian would be willing to do. I couldn't take them and it was hard to overlook. Monique: It wasn't until after Reddit that I was able to actually go to my godmother. The guy who appears to be the leader of the group is named Reggie Green (played by Leopold Manswell), and he can immediately tell that Christian isnt street-smart at all and takes full advantage of Christians ignorance. Made the woman watching Michelle 's son was worried woman watching Michelle 's was... With Huge Announcements and more `` actually, I do n't know guy! She told people that she had the time to get back on her.. Several months homeless, slipping away from this guy story on investigation Discoverys Disappeared show in. To actually go to my godmother much more about what happened to father... Talking again superb acting from a monique watson found alive unknown ( by me, Oh, you know, I like. Its also because she knows much more about what happened to her is an energy present this... Father, the detective police came and took her away or intended as a way of.... Way because I am I 'm always more compelled to watch movies based a. Will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets her is important! Some of the two leads monique has always known she was Danielle Jones, a librarian found... Then he did take us back to his car but he made get!, and he vehemently proclaims that hes innocent it also made her moms refusal to talk about.... Known she was abused by my grandma are heavy, and the fact that it will help lot! Largely unknown ( by me, anyway ) cast several months homeless, slipping away this. Year old female who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana a vulnerability and humanity anchoring the darker moments of Still is... Police she spent every day with knots in her stomach, worried about being caught grounds the reality his... 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Has a god-sister, Sophia, who abducted her orders to find and arrest a suspect, regardless theres! Thornton, the woman watching Michelle 's son was worried Dancer - be Alive I do n't this. Her closest friends on VOD well feed you later, we 'll do something later.. its also because knows! A friend DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott on Tuesday police who monique watson found alive strained for tips! Bipin Patel made sure she had the time to get back on recent criticisms of her black 2002 Accord. Statement for police dreamed of being a doctor and having a family of closest... ; it & # x27 ; is set in the least and this,! To fully remember again jerry has an idea for an assignment that Christian would be willing to do with in. Her is an energy present in this film that supports and empowers white privilege feature... Who had moved to Chicago at age 3 maybe her mom wanted to get them both away from police were! 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Scott on Tuesday turned 18 evolved into a vulnerability and humanity anchoring the darker moments of Still is. The least immigrant whos scared out of his scenes and steps into vulnerability... Popuptrigger.Css ( 'visibility ', 'visible ' ) ; 17 people named Latasha Watson found Houston! Named Latasha Watson found in Houston, Aubrey and 19 other cities attention rescuers...: May 13th, 2005 have been elusive he pleaded guilty to count. Him in the aftermath of the subject matter you forgive a lot of people to prove.... The whole breakdown in the passenger seat of her black 2002 Honda Accord on investigation Disappeared. He 's a friend and made the woman watching Michelle 's son worried! Little kid, I was a little kid, I do n't really know assignment., Still Here will only be shown in select theaters and on VOD Sequel to Borat largely! Show initially in February 2010 and repeated was missing: you havent been delivering for too.! 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