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The grief-stricken mother of a 24-year-old missing woman whose body was found washed up on a New York City beach is looking for answers in the death of her daughter.
The body of Marisha Cheong was found Saturday morning along Jamaica Bay at 149 Bayside Avenue in Roxbury, Queens, police said. She had been missing since December.
"She didn't deserve this," said Cheong's mother, Bibi Ali, as she cried Monday. "They threw her away like trash."
Cheong's hands were tied up, sources said.
Cheong was living with her boyfriend Latchman Balkaran in Jamaica, Queens, when she went missing Dec. 19. Balkaran told NBC 4 New York the two had been looking forward to the holidays and that she had left their home to go shopping when she disappeared.
"It's just very hard to imagine what could have happened to her," he said. "I just don't know what person or human being would do that to someone."
"She was everything to me," said Balkaran. "My family loved her like a daughter. My sister loved her like a sister."
Balkaran said after five years of dating, he was about to propose to Cheong. But her mother painted a different picture of her daughter's longtime boyfriend, saying they had financial problems and that she was suspicious of him.
"He has to know what he did with her," she said. "Only he can tell me what he did with my daughter."
Balkaran responded, "I didn't have anything to do with her death. I am as lost as much as they are. They know how much I loved her."
Ali said police are looking into some text messages, including one she received from her daughter the day before she disappeared.
"I knew in my heart it wasn't her," said Ali. "She doesn't say 'Mom.' She usually says 'Mommy.'"
The medical examiner is still working to determine the cause of death. Police said they have questioned Cheong's boyfriend and her family, and the investigation is ongoing.
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Hopefully they find some evidence linking her killer to the crime. Condolences to this young womans family and friends. No one deserves that.
My heart goes out to the mother. I hope they find out who did this. It is usually the one who saw her last.
Isn't it automatically the one who saw her last? Unless she was killed by a blind man.
Ctviking -- the Newsvine is no place for logic...
Very sad. My condolences to the family and all concerned. May they find who did this, and bring peace to the family.
Sympathies to the family. She and her boyfriend were having financial problems and she did not trust him. The biggest fights between couples have comes from money problems and a cheater on top of it.
Moms do have a "Spidey-Sense" when it comes to their children. I must say, with my four kids, I've been spot on more often than not.
LookinUpanyway,Her mother told the police that her daughter and boyfriend were having financial problems.It doesn't make him the suspect unless there was financial gain to be made by her boyfriend upon her death.The detectives will get to bottom of this.She could have been a victim of a robbery or a serial killer also.
As a couple they should not have been having money problems. "THEY" should only be having money problems after they are man and wife. Living in a relation such as this will sooner or later bring grief. She was not a responsible person neither was her mom. Had they been this most likely would have been avoided. Sorry!
What helpful and compassionate comments. [SMH]
Pretty girls just seem to find out early how to open doors with just a smile.....
Living in sin does not justify murder!!
I'm sorry for the mother's loss, but after all, they chose to live in New York City. The cess pool of crime where citizens aren't permitted to defend themselves. If you live or work in New York City, you can expect to be the victim of a crime. Hopefully, you won't get injured or killed.
Do you folks realize that over 50,000 people go missing every year in America and of those 35% are never found. 10% are runaways and the remaining are domestic situations involving one parent taking children from another. I work in the forensics community identifying remains that are found and we get over 3000 cases a year, and that's just from the ones that are found. There are bodies that never turn up, don't forget they still haven't found Hoffa's body after all these years. It's a sad situation, people need to be careful of their surroundings while they are out and about especially the holiday season when they say this woman went missing.
Thanks for the info Chris. I knew the numbers were high but had no idea.. Wow. It is a horrible fate to befall anyone. You are right, being observant of ones surroundings can mean the difference between life and death. It can never be overstated. Be alert, park in well lighted areas, never near a van (from which someone could slide open a door and pull you in unseen), avoid deserted or desolate areas, travel with a group when possible and never get into a vehicle with a stranger...Never. If someone grabs you and tries to forcce you in, fight. Your chances decrease drastically once you are in a vehicle. Never look lost and walk with purpose. Abductors look for what they view as "easy targets". If you think you are being followed go into a store. Yell, scream and don't worry about being rude or "looking foolish". I would rather look like a lunatic than be a victim.
The tragedy is that the boyfriends kill the girlfriends all the time and get away with it because of the incompetent, lazy or corrupt local police departments...the deaths get ruled suicides or accidents.
The police just don't want to do their jobs...especially in small town USA.
They would rather work multiple construction sites in one day and make 2 to 3 times their regular salary....or pick on little punk pot heads....they are afraid of the real thugs. There are quite a few police officers who are corrupt, lazy and disrespectful, They think they can do, say and get away with anything...because most people do not force them to do their jobs...they don't realize they work for us - we pay their salaries....but they still treat non-police like @!$%#....and think they are deserving of the best protection because they are officers. We didn't tell them to choose their dangerous job. That is what they get paid to do. Why are their lives any more important then ours or a child's or an old person who can't defend themselves. Whenever one of them gets killed- they bring out an army of investigators. When one of us gets killed......they pay much attention. I don't get it.
Sorry - to rant - I just hate the police in our town - they suck!
Americans have a very high opinion about themselves, their society and their country. Lot of you should step outside your caves and travel more. I have felt far more safer in Montreal at 11:00 pm, Japan at 2:00 am and Sydney at 4:00 am than I do in the US of A at 8:00 am or 12:00 pm or 5:00 pm. Over 50,000 people disappear or vanish in the US everywhere and more than 50% are found murdered. Sometimes it is someone who one always suspects: boyfriend, husband, an ex, etc. Sometimes it is someone unusual and unexpected. If you ever watch Forensic Files or 48 Hours you will find some unusual suspects. In one case it was a guy in another apartment who saw a pretty girl doing her laundry and decided to follow her for a few days, and one day kidnapped her, raped and killed her. They found her body 500 miles away and it took them ten years to solve the case. He kept a low profile and moved after a year. He was meticulous in the way he committed his crime. He committed one murder every two years.
America is a screwed up place...and it is not just people worshipping bones or selling bones on ebay.
paranoid....and watches too much tv
I love armchair detectives. So adorable.
I'm thinking too much Law and Order. Generalizing "America" is ridiculous. Wanna discuss the Middle East, Far East or Africa? How's that for getting out of the cave?
Sounds like jealousy too me, but what do I know? I am just an American Caveman. However, I am highly suspicious of someone that prows the streets of Japan at 2am, or Sydney at 4am or Montreal at 11pm hmmmm. I wonder what this poor tortured soul is trying to find? Strange, very strange. Oh well, back to the cave!
Not to sound paranoid, but someone has to always "beware and be aware"...remember that saying? Maybe it was the other way around...? Either way. I'm not saying it's her fault at all - I'd never blame the victim. Someone hurt her in December and tossed her away two months later. The best we can hope for at this point is that she didn't suffer all this time and her murderer will be caught very soon. What an unfathomable nightmare for everyone who loves her.
Huge percentage of the homicides are never solved, so America does have alot of savvy criminals ! This one , the body washes up on shore, so maybe they will learn something and get lucky !
they were some good american names....the boyfriend did it....feel bad for the mother
Hey Mike -
You don't know, so your comments are pure speculation. WHERE DO YOU LIVE - MIKEY?
good thing there was no indication of a gun being used, someone could have gotten hurt.
A mother always knows. Especially one that is very close to the child. If she has supisions then the cops better look long and hard at the boyfriend. A mother always knows. RIP child.
Not that I think this case is related just because the victims are totally different, but whatever happened to the serial killer that was operating there in New York?
Rest in Peace young lady.
It's the boyfriend.
The worst thing for her mother was not knowing where her daughter was for two months and then for her to be found this way is horrific.My condolences to her mother and other family members and friends.
What a sad horrifying situation.... I pray that there is a lead in this case real soon. Prayers goes out to the families of both sides.
Most likely the boyfriend had something to do with it. The police are no doubt investigating that possibility. Plus, all known associates. My prayers are with her grieving family. There is something wrong with our society and its getting worse.
People would be very worried if they really knew how many serial killers and murderers are walking free right now. I wouldn't jump all over the boyfriend, just yet.
Francis, There are many. What is worse is they are frequently charming, intelligent, well educated and physically attractive. There are many sociopathic traits which our society actually celebrates... Lack of empathy, complete focus on individual desires to the exclusion and detriment of others and an absence of remorse/conscience all all "desired traits" in corporations.........
I read somewhere that at any given time there are approximately 100 serial killers running loose in our society. If that is true, that is a frightening thought.
Bad choice on bed partners: More than a few lives lost or ruined through that mistake.
My heart goes out to her family. To have a child of yours murdered is felt by the family as if their heart was ripped out. I hope they catch the one(s) responsible for this crime.