A New Haven family is demanding answers from the New Haven Police Department after their loved one’s body was found in the West River in May and went unidentified for months.
Aisha Stedford said it hasn’t sunken in yet, that her little brother, Mutalib “Bobby” Bello, who dreamed of being a hip-hop star, will never get that chance.
“He was full of life. I think that’ what I miss the most. It’s almost like there’s no life,” said Stedford.
Bobby Bello’s family said the 18-year-old went missing May 10. Eight days later, his body was recovered in the West River.
Stedford said she and her mother tried to file a missing persons case, but the New Haven Police Department turned them away.
“[The detective] proceeded to tell us that he couldn't file a missing person report because Bobby was not a threat, he wasn't on medication and Bobby was a teenager. [He said] teenagers run away all the time,” said Stedford.
Bello’s body went unidentified until mid-July, when a tip led Stedford to an unidentified persons database online; that’s where she saw a man’s body with tattoos that matched her brother’s.
“He has ‘Bello’ underneath his bellybutton. … On the inside of his left wrist, he has 6-30-93, which is his birthday,” stated Stedford.
The unidentified body on the website turned out to be Bobby Bello.
The New Haven Police Department issued an apology to the family, wherein they said the identification should have been “more timely.”
Stedford, however, thinks an apology isn’t enough.
“I probably cried for about two days, knowing that he wouldn't come home. My tears along with the rest of my family members' immediately became anger,” said Stedford.
New Haven police aren’t considering the death a criminal case. However, Stedford believes her brother was targeted and she vows to fight to find out what happened to him.
