http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/harris_jyrine.html
Jyrine Kyese Harrise
Left and Center: Jyrine, circa 2002. Right: Age-progression to age 9 (circa 2008)
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: June 23, 2002 from Irvington, New Jersey
Classification: Endangered Missing
DOB: December 15, 1999
Age: 2 years old
Height and Weight: 3'0, 32 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: African-American male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Jyrine has a circular scar on his inner right forearm, a scar on the inside of his upper left arm, a scar over his right eyebrow, and a birthmark on his lower back. He is right-handed. Jyrine's nicknames are Fatboy, Fatman, Pooh and Poppa Babba. He has previous fractures to his shoulder and wrist.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A Pamper diaper printed with Muppet characters. On his right leg was a cast that extended from knee to toe, with writing on it which read "Get well soon, fatboy."
Medical Conditions: Jyrine's right leg was fractured when he disappeared. He has ostogensis imperfecta, a rare disorder which causes brittle bones that break easily. He may be in need of medical assistance.
Details of Disappearance
Jyrine was last seen sleeping in his bed on the second floor of his home on 40th Street in Irvington, NJ at 1 a.m. on June 23, 2002. He disappeared in the early hours of the morning while his teenage sister, LaElisa Harris, was watching television downstairs with her boyfriend, Gregory Jones-McCrae. The family searched the house before reporting Jyrine's disappearance to police at 5 a.m.
Jyrine lived with his grandmother an eight other people, including LaElisa, at the time of his disappearance. He had been taken from the home of his mother, Janet Harris, on May 31 after she was arrested on charges of abusing him. Janet was still in police custody at the time her son disappeared. The charges against her were dropped after his disappearance, as it was determined that Jyrine could have sustained his injuries as a result of his bone disease rather than from abuse. Authorities do not believe Jyrine was taken by either of his parents. It is also unlikely that he wandered away from the home, due to the broken leg which limited his mobility, and due to the fact that he has not been found.
Police has stated that Jones-MacCrae has not been cooperative in the investigation. He has not been charged in connection with Jyrine's disappearance, however. Jyrine's four-year-old cousin, who shared a bedroom with him, says a Caucasian man and an African-American man abducted the child. Jyrine's parents do not believe he was abducted, however; Janet believes there was an accident in the home that night and Jyrine disappeared as a result.
Most of the people in Jyrine's house the night he vanished have not been ruled out as suspects in his disappearance, but there is little evidence available in his case. His case remains unsolved.
If you have information concerning this case, please contact the Irvington Police Department at 973-399-6603.
