Michigan prosecutors announced on Thursday that a 13-year-old girl who vanished nine months earlier was raped, impregnated, and murdered by a registered sex offender who sexually abused two other girls.
Na’Ziyah Harris was reported missing a day after she was last seen at a bus stop in Detroit. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Jarvis Butts, 41, who was known to Harris’ family, groomed the girl since 2022 — and killed her after impregnating her, according to WJBK.
Text messages reportedly indicated that Harris met with Butts the day she vanished. Worthy said clothing possibly belonging to Harris was discovered in a location Butts visited near the Rouge River. Worthy said the clothing was damaged, suggesting a struggle had occurred, according to WJBK.
Though Harris’ body was never found, authorities believe she was pregnant when she died and Butts fathered her unborn child. Before the slaying, Butts allegedly searched online about abortions, abortion pills, and drinking anti-freeze.
The Detroit News reported that Butts had children with Harris’ aunt. Harris reportedly informed him in September 2023 that she missed her cycle.
According to the news outlet, Butts is also accused of sexually abusing two other girls younger than 13. The first girl was assaulted from 2012 to 2014, while the other was abused from 2015 to 2017. Worthy said the victims are now 20 and 11, respectively.
Records indicated that Butts was convicted in 2005 of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. In that case, he admitted to having sex with a child and was sentenced to seven years.
The Detroit News reported that Harris’ relatives had called Child Protective Services concerning Butts because they believed he was having inappropriate contact with Harris and other children.
“Mr. Butts targeted and befriended women to have sexual relationships with their young daughters,” Worthy commented. “He would have relations with their mothers, but his true desire was to have sex with their young daughters. He was a classic and expert groomer.”
Butts is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree criminal sexual conduct, and possession of sexually abusive material involving a minor. He’s also charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with child abuse cases.
Butts has been in custody since April due to an unrelated case. His arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.
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[Feature Photo: Wayne County Prosecutor/Michigan Department of Corrections]
