Inside the Na’Ziyah Harris Case — The Horrific Ordeal That Shocked Many
The Detroit teen was failed by everyone in her orbit.
Published Feb. 13 2026, 11:05 a.m. ET
Trigger warning: This article discusses child sexual assault and grooming.
In a perfect world, it’d be easy to believe that you can trust family and close friends around your children. Adults would treat children around them like their own, no matter the connection. They would promise to protect them, shield them from harm, and teach them right from wrong.
However, we continue to hear stories about adults who not only betray their family’s trust but also have no qualms about stealing a child’s innocence. This is the story of 13-year-old Detroit teen, Na’Ziyah Harris.
Na’Ziyah Harris is likely a name you’re familiar with, whether you’re scrolling through social media or watching the evening news. The public has long been calling for answers in her disappearance. It seemed no one knew how a teenager could just vanish.
And after extensive investigation, it turned out that the case of the missing teen was far more tragic than imagined. So, what happened to Na’Ziyah Harris? Here’s the full rundown on her heartbreaking story.
Na’Ziyah Harris was sexually assaulted and murdered by a family member.
Unfortunately, Na’Ziyah’s disappearance was linked to the unimaginable. Per Click On Detroit, the teen first went missing on Jan. 9, 2024, from Detroit’s east side. The teenager was last seen exiting a school bus at Cornwall Street and 3 Mile Drive, and was never seen again.
After Na’Ziyah’s grandmother and guardian, Annette Harris, reported her missing to the Detroit Public Schools Community District, an investigation was launched. Unfortunately, the district didn’t make much headway in its investigation, so it involved the Detroit Police Department.
While canvassing, Detective Jason Mays and his partner interviewed a now 43-year-old Jarvis Butts, the boyfriend of Na’Ziyah’s aunt, Shannon Harris. He reportedly told detectives that he was dealing with a legal matter at the time of Na’Ziyah’s disappearance, but said she frequented his auto shop, along with his daughter.
After months of investigation, law enforcement discovered that Butts lied in his initial interview. In fact, evidence showed that he not only knew what happened to Na’Ziyah, but he was having a sexual relationship with the teen that resulted in her being pregnant.
In fact, CBS News reports that a slew of evidence from one of Butts’ business partners, testimony from someone who said they saw the two together the night she was last seen, cell tower tracking, and Butts being tracked in areas where Na’Ziyah’s belongings were found was the final nail in the coffin.
While we still don’t know how Na’Ziyah passed away, investigators know for a fact that the teen was indeed murdered by Butts.
Jarvis Butts has accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to various sexual assault accounts and murder.
The family of Na’Ziyah Harris is left with a bittersweet feeling. CBS News shares that on Feb. 12, 2026, Butts entered a plea of guilty to five counts of sexual assault, going back over a decade, and the murder of the teen. The charges not only include his crimes against Na’Ziyah, but also include crimes against other children, with one being under the age of 5.
Per court records obtained by the outlet, the agreement states that Butts will serve a concurrent sentence of 35 to 60 years for second-degree murder, 10 to 15 years on four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, and 10 to 15 years for third-degree criminal sexual conduct. His other criminal sexual conduct charges were dismissed.
However, the only way this deal will be reached is if Butts can “provide a truthful statement regarding the body of Na'Ziyah Harris.”
Per Click On Detroit, a source shared that during the plea hearing, Butts admitted to dumping Na’Ziyah’s body in Rouge River. This area is where authorities initially searched for the teen.
With this new update, Na’Ziyah’s loved ones are vowing to have Butts incarcerated for as long as possible.
"He will serve that 60 years if we have anything to do with it,” Jernell Smith-Holland, Na'Ziyah's great aunt, told 7 News Detroit. “He will die in prison.”
As of now, Na’Ziyah’s body has still yet to be found. We will keep you updated.
Report online or in-person sexual abuse of a child or teen by calling the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or visiting childhelp.org. Learn more about the warning signs of child abuse at RAINN.org.