Black and Missing Foundation needs help in bringing Tamala Wells, a missing woman from Detroit, home for the holidays. Here, we interview Tamala’s mother, Donna Wells-Davis.
Case type: Endangered
DOB: December 30, 1978
Missing Date: August 6, 2012
Age Now: 36
Missing City: Detroit
Missing State: Michigan
Case Number: x
Gender: Female
Race: Black
Complexion: Medium
Height: 5-foot-4
Weight: 157
Hair Color: Black
Hair Length: Medium
Eye Color: Brown
Wears Glasses or Contacts: No
When was the last time you spoke with Tamala?
Donna Wells-Davis, Tamala’s mother who lives in Florida: I spoke with Tamala on a regular basis, and I talked to her the night she went missing. She was a little raspy, like something was bothering her or something was wrong. I was like, ‘Tamala, what’s the matter?’ She said, ‘Oh nothing.’ I knew that she had had some issues with her boyfriend, and I knew that she was tired of the city, so we had talked about relocating [and having Tamala move back to Florida with me]. Somewhere after that phone call, my baby left the house and went missing. Later, I found out that police were called to Tamala’s house on Friday, August 4, and they were investigating a domestic disturbance at the home.
Bring Her Home for the Holidays: Elizabeth Sullivan
What are the circumstances of her disappearance?
About 6:00 or 6:30 the next morning, I received a phone call from Tamala’s 6-year-old daughter saying, ‘Grandma, my mom didn’t come home last night.’ The hair on my head stood up. I kept her as calm as possible because I didn’t know what was going on. After that, I began to call Tamala, and I got no answer. I knew it was early, so I thought maybe she was sleeping somewhere. But I continued calling like a mother would call her child and text ‘911.’ I’d hang up and redial, and I’d hang up and redial. Later that night, the phone went straight to voicemail, and I knew then that the phone was dead. My grandbaby is still calling me—‘Grandma, have you heard anything?’—and no adult has gotten on the phone to tell me that something is wrong.
It took me a whole week to get to Detroit, and when I got there, I went straight to Tamala’s house, and it was a total mess. That was the first time I spoke with her boyfriend—on August 13 when I arrived at his door unacknowledged. He stayed a distance from me. At this point, I know something’s wrong, but I don’t know what.
I began to canvass the streets. Two days after she went missing, Tamala’s car was found on the opposite side of town.
Bring Her Home for the Holidays: Jasmine Moody
If Tamala is reading this, what would you want to say to her?
Tamala, I love you. You know how much I love you. There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for you. There’s nothing in this world that you could’ve done to turn me against you. I just want you safe, and I want you back. We miss you so much. I tell people all the time that I don’t ask for much. I ask for help when I need it, and I truly need it. I’ve never been so desperate for something, to want something so bad, and every day you wake up and you’re looking for glimpses of how you can get it. You look out in the big world and say, ‘How do I find her?’ The world is large. It’s huge. Where do I begin?
If you have any information in Tamala’s disappearance, please contact Detroit police or the Black and Missing Inc.’s tip line.