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| Diamond Bynum (left), King Walker (right) |
Diamond Bynum (21) and her nephew King Walker (2) have been missing since July 25th, 2015. Prior to their disappearance, Diamond had recently moved from Hammond to Gary, Indiana. She lived with her father Eugene and stepmother Suzanne, while King--the son of Diamond's sister-- also lived in Gary with his mother, Ariana Walker. On the morning Diamond and King vanished, King was dropped off at Diamond's father's house so he could spend the day with his grandparents and his aunt. A few hours after King's arrival, Suzanne and King took a nap. When Suzanne awoke from her nap around 11am, both King and Diamond were gone.
It was initially believed that Diamond had taken King for a walk. Diamond enjoyed taking walks, and did so often when her family lived in Hammond. However, Diamond was still fairly new to Gary at this point, so she was not as familiar with the area. This immediately concerned family members, as Diamond has a genetic disorder called Prader-Willi syndrome which causes her cognitive development to be delayed. According to the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (PWSA), the disorder is "typically characterized by low muscle tone, short stature, incomplete sexual development, cognitive disabilities, behavioral problems, and the hallmark characteristics – chronic feelings of insatiable hunger and a slowed metabolism that can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity." Diamond's family members stated that Diamond reportedly has the mental capacity of a seven-year old.
After briefly searching for Diamond and King, Suzanne called authorities to report them missing. A large-scale search began with numerous volunteers, but nothing of importance was found. Additionally, investigators received tips stating that Diamond and King were seen together at a local gas station. Those leads were pursued, but investigators unfortunately came up empty. Then, local sex offenders were investigated, and it was announced that police wanted to question a person of interest--but nothing ever came of that, either. Since then, tips have reportedly been far and few in between.
Diamond and King remain missing today. Their family members are desperately hoping for closure in the case. If you have any information that could lead to Diamond and/or King's whereabouts, please contact the Gary Police Department at 219-881-1260.
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