UPDATE
Reports indicate that a body recovered from the Hudson River Saturday morning is 11-year-old Alfa Ousmane Barrie, who had been missing for a week. A family member confirmed Barrie’s identity. This follows the recovery of 13-year-old Garrett Warren’s body in the East River on Thursday. Warren had also been missing since last weekend. A family member positively identified his body after police found him under the Madison Avenue Bridge.
Both boys attended Democracy Prep Public School in Harlem.
“We are devastated to learn that Alfa Ousmane Barrie is no longer with us. Our hearts go out to his family and friends, and the community that is grieving for him,” Democracy Prep CEO Natasha Trivers said in a statement. “Alfa was a 6th grader at Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School, where he stood out as a funny, bright, witty, inquisitive and brave child. He will be sorely missed by his teachers and fellow students. We also stand in solidarity with the family of Alfa’s friend, Garrett Warren. While he was not a student, we understand that this is a difficult time for his community as well and share our prayers with them.”
Police say investigations into what happened to both boys is ongoing. Officials say foul play is not suspected.
In statement on social media, Barrie’s older brother, Ibrahim Diallo, said his family is looking for answers.
“Our family is deeply heartbroken by this loss. We are grateful for the support from our friends and family during this difficult time,” he said “There are many unanswered questions surrounding his death, and we are awaiting the results of the investigation.”
A condolence service will be held at the Futa Islamic Center (3400 3rd Avenue, Bronx, NY) on Mon., May 22 for Barrie.
An all-out community all-points bulletin has been issued in the NYC for missing 11-year-old Bronx boy, Alfa Ousmane Barrie, and Harlemite Garrett Warren, 13.
According to the New York City Police Department, Alfa was reported missing on Sunday, May 14, 2023. Warren was reported missing on Monday, May 15, 2023.
Police said that Barrie and Warren were last seen at a playground in Harlem, on Friday, May 12, 2023. They were both last seen between Friday night and Saturday morning.
Following reports that two children were seen in the Harlem River, police were searching the river on Saturday and Tuesday.
Kadiatou Diallo contacted the Amsterdam News just after dawn on Tuesday morning to speak about the child’s disappearance. “We stand in solidarity with the family of Alfa, and pray for his safe return to his family,” Diallo said. “I call on everyone—the school, the police, the city of New York—to investigate this diligently and help us find Alfa.”
Diallo, founder of the Amadou Diallo Foundation, became an activist after the acquittal of the four cops charged in her son Amadou’s 41-bullet shooting death.
“No children should be in harm’s way when they go to school,” Diallo said. “I pray for all parents who are going through the same ordeal. We ask for prayers and support from the entire community to help the family during this very difficult time.”
A published report stated that Fatima Diallo thinks that her brother is with a friend, Garrett Warren. They both have not been seen since Friday, when 42nd precinct police said the Bronx boys were sighted on 145th Street and Malcolm X Blvd., in Harlem.
Alfa is described as 5’2”, approximately 100 pounds, last seen wearing a navy sweater with a “Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School” logo, gray pants, and gray sneakers.
Warren is described as 6’0” in height, and approximately 215 lbs. He was last seen wearing a tan hooded sweatshirt with a white t-shirt underneath, black jeans, and blue/black Jordan sneakers.
“Although [victims of] ‘Missing while Black’ have not gotten strong mainstream media and the public attention as they deserve, particularly within the immigrant communities, the missing young Alfa Ousmane Barrie seems to have bucked the usual pattern,” said Sheikh Musa Drammeh of the African Union Day Foundation. He told the Amsterdam News,“Ever since the first announcement of his disappearance was made, the entire community, especially West Africans in New York, have been circulating it in all of their social media platforms and ethnic media outlets constantly.”
“We are seeking the public’s help in our search for two missing children,” said Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson, Commanding Officer of NYPD Manhattan North. “Both last seen between last Friday and early Saturday morning. The missing persons squad, detective, patrol officers in Manhattan and the Bronx, the harbor unit, members of the strategic response group and other personnel are searching for these boys and there are millions of eyes and ears in our city. We’re asking all of them right now to help us find these children right now.”
At the Tuesday press conference Deputy Chief Brian Gill said, “We’re still in the process of pulling video from everywhere. Everyone we identify we’re going to try to track down and ask them for any help.”
“We are extremely concerned about the whereabouts of Alfa Barrie, an 11-year-old student who attends Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School,” said Public Schools CEO Natasha Trivers in a statement. “We urge members of the public to come forward with any information about his location by calling CrimeStoppers at 800-577-TIPS. Police are currently following up on every lead. All members of Democracy Prep’s community are precious to us, and we stand by Alfa’s family during this difficult time.”
Bronx-based community activist Abdoulaye Cisse told the Amsterdam News, “I hope Alfa returns home safe and sound. I’m sure this is a very difficult time for the parents and his family as they await the outcome. Hopefully all is well in the end, and he returns home safe.”
Cisse, founder of Bridging Africans & Black Americans Inc (BABA),added, “I urge the greater community to help out by sharing the flier online, or even better, printing the flier and posting it up in the neighborhood to help this family through this difficult time.”
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First, my sympathy to both families of the two young boys found in the rivers. This is a baffling situation. Is an eleven year old allowed to decide to spend the night with a friend without getting parental permission? Does the parent not know who the child’s friends are? If the child does not return home from school, I would think that a visit to the student’s friend’s homes would be a starting point in the search.
As for the friend’s home where Alfa was spending the night, do the parents not check to determine if the child has permission to stay overnight? Last, but not least, how are these two children permitted to leave home at 1:30A.M.? Sadly, this is a tragic loss of life which seems to have had a window of opportunity to have been prevented. Alfaa and Warren, both gone too soon.