Frustrated residents in fear

MONROE, Mich. - Those living in and around the Charlotte Arms apartment complex, where 5-year-old Nevaeh Buchanan was last seen May 24, are frustrated and are seeking justice for the person or persons who are responsible for her death.

"I think things will get back to normal once we find out who did it," said Betty Morris. "All I know there's a lot of fear in this community."

Parents have been keeping a closer eye on their children in the weeks since the search took place to find Nevaeh. Some won't even allow them to play outside - even on a perfect summer-like day on Monday.

"I just don't want to even let my kids out to play," said Phil Severinski, who is disgusted at the coward who abducted and killed Nevaeh. The father of three is in fear of his own children's lives.

"I hope they legalize the death penalty because they need to get that person off the street," he said.

Morris said she sees more parents outside with their children now than ever before. She believes it will remain that way until Nevaeh's murderer is caught.

"People are still in shock, they just don't know," she said. "They want it over with. They want to know who did it because parents are with their children now."

So far the assembled task force has received more than 1,200 tips regarding the case. Two persons of interest remain that, persons of interests. There have been no arrests in the case.

Crime scene investigators with the Michigan State Police in Northville, Mich., have not released the cause of death. They continue to process evidence collected in Raisinville Township where Nevaeh's body was found near the bank of the River Raisin.

Karen Herkimer, who was Nevaeh's principal at the Cantrick Learning Center, 1008 River Road, from 6-7:30 p.m., understands the community is very frustrated and the school wants to help. On Wednesday, June 17, the learning center will offer a support services for anyone who needs help in dealing with the tragic loss.

"We will have bereavement facilitators, we will counselors and people that can do referral for families," she said. "The grieving, the sadness, the fear that people have, and how to answer questions that their children have. They weren't sure what to do and now with this negative outcome that we had with this horrible tragedy, we just we felt we needed to do something."