The Death of 16-Year-Old Juliana Nzita Was Ruled a Suicide Within Days, but Her Family, Community Members and Outside Experts Are Raising Serious Questions
The death of a 16-year-old girl found hanged near a north Charlotte church is drawing intense scrutiny as her family, community members and outside experts question how quickly authorities closed the case.
According to a Charlotte Observer investigation, Juliana Umba Nzita was discovered in early May by a man walking his dog through a churchyard. She was held up by a ratchet strap around her neck, with her feet resting on the ground near a small, toddler-size chair.
Within three days, the medical examiner ruled her death a suicide. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police closed the case four days later without performing an autopsy, locating her cellphone or interviewing the man who found her body.
The Observer reported that Juliana, whose family emigrated from the Congo, was active in her church and described by relatives as gentle and warm. However, an uncle said she had struggled with her mental health and severe bullying.
Still, several relatives have openly questioned the suicide determination.
Her uncle, Mathy Nzita, told the outlet that the circumstances seemed logistically implausible. He questioned why police would not conduct an autopsy after finding a teenage girl hanging in a public place.
“This is the U.S. This is not a third-world country,” he said.
Witness Questions How Juliana Reached the Tree Limb
Kenneth Tolbert, who discovered the body, echoed those doubts to the Observer. He said he could not understand how Juliana could have reached the tree limb, which he could not reach himself at 5 feet, 9 inches tall.
Tolbert argued that had she been “a white girl found hanging at a Myers Park church,” the response would have been swift and national.
As reported by the Observer, four criminal justice and mental health experts described the circumstances as unusual. They noted that public hangings are exceedingly rare among teenage girls and, considering the South’s history, among Black people.
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CMPD disputed that framing. The department maintained that a thorough examination revealed no defensive wounds, signs of assault or evidence of foul play. Police also cautioned against drawing conclusions without access to the full information gathered during the investigation.
Family Orders Independent Autopsy and DNA Testing
The family has since commissioned an independent autopsy that includes DNA analysis, with civil rights attorney Jill Collen Jefferson assisting.
Charlotte City Council members have also criticized the police department’s lack of transparency. Councilman JD Mazuera Arias called the situation “unacceptable” and “grotesque.”
This is a sensitive topic. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text at 988.
