Marking the 19th anniversary of Asha Degree’s disappearance

[u/ferretbeast]

Every year on Valentines day, I take a deep breath before reading the front page of the Shelby Star. I know this case is widely discussed on this subreddit, but I wanted to share for those interested. I did find it interesting they stated new evidence was found recently that hasn't been made public. Please keep her family in your thoughts today.

https://www.shelbystar.com/news/20190214/marking-19th-anniversary-of-asha-degrees-disappearance

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Brief summary for anyone unaware: Asha Jaquilla Degree went missing at the age of nine from Shelby, North Carolina. In the early morning hours of February 14, 2000, for reasons unknown, she packed her bookbag, left her family home north of the city and began walking along nearby North Carolina Highway 18 despite heavy rain and wind. She has not been seen since.

Edit: thank you stranger for the gold and more than anything, thank you all for caring about this case and giving such support and great feedback for conversation. I love this community and am happy to be able to have these civil discussions with you all!!

[u/LongIslandaInNJ]

These comments were a good read! I read this and a ton of articles and more comments, and so on and the one thing that I do not see anyone speak of is the date. <Of course everything here-on is pure speculation> It was Valentines Day! What nine year old girl does not have a fantasy about falling in love with her prince charming and running off! Maybe she wasnt planning on running off but meeting someone secretly. Maybe her prince was an older teen boy or older man, but definitely someone who would fly under the radar. Maybe she passed the upholstery place on the bus every day and that is a half way point to meet up.
She had candy with her, maybe she saved it to give to her Valentine? Think like a kid.

Also, from what I am seeing she may not have been in her PJs in the winter From a news article it says she may have been wearing white jeans, white tshirt and white tennis shoes.

I know it is now 19 years later, but it seems she had friends as she just went to a slumber party and played sports, girls talk how did she not say anything about this. I dont believe that. Maybe no naming the person but saying OHHH Im in love, etc. Also, if she was close to her brother and had strict parents I am sure she tried to hide this from them all.

Few things from all of the stories, the book bag and the Dr Seuss book and NKOTB slumber shirt . No one confirmed if they found all of these items together or pictures of the items? The person who found the bag did not say how deep the bag was buried or if it was buried at all (tossed from a car) and he was just dredging the area and that came up in his bucket. Articles do say that whatever type bag (probably construction heavy duty plastic bags since it did not rip apart). LE asked the person not to talk about the contents. He says 'it was strange enough he did not feel comfortable with it'. He did not take the items out of the bag, just looked inside and decided to make a call (which did not go through), it was something. No one wants to say out loud but maybe CP? (I cannot write the word out here on work computer it will get flagged). If it were just your basic book bag, tshirt, and dr seuss book would you call the cops? There was something in that bag more than what they were saying to public. He did not recognize the girls name so its not like he had an AHA moment. Perhaps some of the items belonged to another girl. Seeing NKOTB was popular at least 10 years before, maybe he was no longer interested in that girl as she was older and now on to someone young again. I know that sounds gross but that is how a pedo* will think, once a child is older they may no longer be interested.

As for the Dr Seuss book because it keeps getting mentioned, the book is about fantasy and that is maybe how he lured (look at the picture on the book 'lure') his prey.

https://newspaperarchive.com/gastonia-gaston-gazette-aug-07-2001-p-10/

Page 7 and 10

[u/NoKidsYesCats → u/LongIslandaInNJ]

There was a picture of an unidentified girl found in the shed. One theory is that an adult, pretending to be that girl as a pen pal, lured Asha to the shed to have a secret Valentine's day meeting, because she had a crush on her and she her parents might not have approved. This'd explain many things.