On November 13, 2024, Jahque Bryan-Gooden reported her 23-year-old sister, Jahnay Bryan, missing.
“That was her biggest fear — like, being a Black girl and getting trafficked, or someone kidnapping her, or her going missing,” Jahque told Dateline. “She had vividly shared to a friend, like, ‘If something ever happens to me, find me.’”
Jahque is afraid something has happened to Jahnay, and she’s determined to find her.
“The last time I actually personally spoke with my sister was via email. And that was actually last year,” Jahque told Dateline. “It was just, like, a positive email of her wishing me well.”
Shortly after sending that email to her sister, Jahnay graduated from Cornell University and then moved back home with their mother in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
Months after returning home, Jahnay gradually lost touch with the people in her life. “She had basically stopped talking to all her friends,” Jahque said.
Jahque has been in touch with her sister’s ex-boyfriend who shared an email with her he said he received on August 1 from Jahnay. Jahque says he gave her permission to pass the contents of the mail on to Dateline. “Gone for the last few months. Back,” the email read. “Moving to a new city Monday. Bye.”
Jahque assumes Jahnay was living in East Stroudsburg when she sent that email, though she is unsure.
On October 16, Jahque says Jahnay’s ex-boyfriend received another email. “I think we should get married and I think we should work in industry,” it read. “I was just in contact with the commissioner of the Department of Water Management in a city and it’s a brilliant idea.”
“It wasn’t even grammatically correct,” Jahque remarked about the email. “And so that was definitely like, ‘OK, what’s happening here?’ you know? But I don’t think that someone else would have had her email.” Dateline reached out to Jahnay’s ex-boyfriend who confirmed receiving both of the emails from her on the dates mentioned.
According to Jahque, that email on October 16 was Jahnay’s last known communication.
Jahnay’s loved ones decided to begin posting about her disappearance in November. “We then received a call from someone saying that, like, you know, ‘We saw her in LA,’” Jahque said.
After that phone call, a few of Jahque’s friends in the LA area went to check out an area of West 8th Street where Jahnay had reportedly been seen. According to Jahque, several people claimed they saw Jahnay there and described her accurately.
“We keep meeting people that say, like, ‘Oh, I saw her at this bus stop,’ or, ‘I saw her in this area,’” Jahque said. “The random people that we find that say, ‘Yes, I saw her,’ are all near that street. Like, they all say they saw her in that area.” She also notes that Jahnay’s Outlook email indicated she was on Pacific Time — another sign she may be in California.
On November 19, the LAPD issued an Ebony Alert about Jahnay, which they shared with Dateline as a news release. “On October 16, 2024, around 9 a.m., Jahnay was last seen near the 2000 block of West 8th Street,” the release read. “Jahnay has not been seen since and her family is concerned for her wellness.”
The LAPD told Dateline in an email that no additional information about Jahnay’s disappearance was available at this time. “The only information we have is what was provided in the news release,” LAPD Media Relations Division Officer Drake Madison wrote.
Jahque says she has attempted to contact her mother — who had been living in East Stroudsburg with Jahnay — but has been unable to do so. Dateline was also unable to contact her.
Jahque believes Jahnay is in serious danger. “Not only was she loved, but she loved a lot of people, so — or does love people,” she said. “So, to know that— know that people that care for her the most, she hasn’t been in contact with, it’s scary. And it’s not like her, right? It’s abnormal behavior.”
Jahque describes her sister affectionately and in the present tense, hopeful that she will be able to tell her how much she loves her soon. “She is brilliant. She’s --. Like, she’s a natural leader,” she said. “She’s very caring and thoughtful. And she, you know, she’s someone that people love to be around.”
Jahnay has black hair and brown eyes. She is 5’7’’ and weighs approximately 125 lbs. It is unknown what she was wearing when she disappeared.
Anyone with information on Jahnay Bryan’s whereabouts is asked to contact the LAPD Missing Persons Unit, Detective Avalos at (213) 996-1800. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters can also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip.
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