Sister breaks silence after teen’s murder, urging women to stay aware and alert

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. (KBSI) – “It‘s a bit unbelievable” says Jakyiza Johnson “I wish it was a nightmare that we can wake up from.”

Here at Portageville High School, 18-year-old Kaniah Jennings was a Senior but come May, when all her peers walk across the stage to get their diplomas, Kaniah won’t be with them. After a senseless act of brutality, her sister Jakyiza Johnson says the grief is heavy. 

“I struggle at night to go to sleep because I’m afraid, like, I’ll see her in my sleep, not that I don’t want to see her, but it’s like, she’s not here” says Johnson. 

According to documents Kaniah was picked up from her home in Portageville by 18-year-old Blake Patrick, who according to her family she very loosely new. Blake then took her over to a home in Hayti, where young Kaniah was never heard from again after entering the Hayti home.

Documents state that multiple men sexually and physically abused Jennings ultimately ending in her death.

4 men are now in custody and face charges –

34-year-old Keenan E People’s faces charges: first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape, tampering with physical evidence.

38-year-old Donald F. People’s Jr. faces charges: accessory to first-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence. 

18-year-old Blake Patrick faces charges: accessory to first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape.

20-year-old Antonio Branch Jr faces charges of tampering with physical evidence.

Jenning’s sister saying she just wants to know why.

“Why didn’t you come out and say something at first like, why wait until it’s like, you know, closer to finding her?” “Why wait, you knew from the very first day you should have come in” says Johnson. “So, I don’t know if they were scared, but I’m pretty sure they were, but you know, why be like that? You know, she’s someone’s child. You have sisters and you have a mother. Would you want someone to hide that from them?”

Kaniah’s funeral was held at the Portageville high school this past Saturday with a closed casket, where her family and classmates got to say final goodbyes before laying the young teen to rest, forever 18.  Johnson says if anyone takes anything away from her sister’s death, it’s that women should be aware and alert before entering into an unknown situation.

“It’s kind of hard to go out now because you never know. Like, if you will get snatched up just being a woman, like, she was only 18. She didn’t really know the man and he just, you know, harmed her. For what reason? You have a reason behind it? People are cruel out here in the world” says Johnson.

Now Johnson tells me her and her family will continue to lean on each other, and keep Kaniah’s memory alive, planning a nonprofit in her sister’s name, so pain isn’t the only thing to come from the death of Kaniah.

“It still hurts to know that she’s not coming back. She’s only 18. She won’t be able to walk the stage or go to prom or anything. So, it hurts and we won’t be able to see her face like last memories, you know, aren’t really what you expect to, you know, remember your family member’s life” says Johnson.

Watch for more details on the Kaniah Jennings nonprofit.

Watch FOX23 News tonight at 9pm for full story.