A family is searching for answers after a pregnant mother was found dead in a Kansas City park

Elaysha Gilliam, a mother of four who was 12 weeks pregnant with her fifth child, was found dead Feb. 19 at the age of 26.

The family of a 26-year-old Black, pregnant mother of four found dead near a Kansas City, Missouri, park wants to know why the police investigation into her mysterious death has stalled.

Elaysha Gilliam was discovered in a field near Dunbar Park shortly before midnight on Feb. 19, according to the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.

Details regarding her homicide are murky, and no arrests have been made thus far.

“I want closure, we need answers,” said Clydetta Gilliam, 46, Elaysha’s stepmother who raised her since infancy. “The police are dragging their feet, but I need to go out here and solve the case myself. They aren’t giving us anything.”

Elaysha’s death is part of a troubling trend in the city, which has seen a rise in homicides in recent years.

The city recorded its deadliest year on record last year, with 182 murders, according to police. The previous record of 176 homicides was set in 2020. Missouri has also reported the highest homicide rate in the country for Black women in recent years.

Alaysha Gilliam seen with three of her four children.

Officers responded to the scene on the night of Elaysha’s death and found her in a field near Dunbar Park. She appeared to have suffered “bodily trauma,” and emergency crews pronounced her dead, police said.

She died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to a death certificate.

The lack of information from police has only frustrated Clydetta, who said many of her questions regarding the death remain unanswered.

“Are there any fingerprints from shell cases? What was found around her? Did she have clothes on when she was found?” Elaysha’s stepmother asked.

Detectives have reported progress in identifying a person of interest but are seeking the public’s assistance in gathering information, offering a reward of up to $25,000.

“That case remains under investigation as a homicide,” according to the department.

As time passes, family members are trying to stay united.

Brandon Gilliam, 18, last saw his older sister two weeks before she was killed, when he helped her with her car.

He, too, questions what led to his sister’s death.

“We’re still at a loss for words. We don’t know what to think,” Brandon said. “Death happens, but the wrong person was taken from us.”

Life had its challenges for Elaysha, a pregnant mother of four whose children range from 2 to 9 years old.

One of her children has sickle cell anemia, and another eats through a feeding tube, family said.

“She had a lot of stress trying to take care of a lot of people,” Clydetta said.

Alaysha Gilliam

But at 12 weeks pregnant, family members said, Elaysha was excited to welcome her fifth child into the world.

“She had been shopping for baby clothes,” her father, Ed Gilliam, said.

Elaysha’s mother moved in with her the week she was killed, and one of her sisters occasionally stayed there as well.

Relatives said Elaysha was looking forward to a fresh start. She had secured a job at a car wash, planned to open a hair salon, and was getting a new car and apartment.

Meanwhile, family members cherish memories of Elaysha's joyful spirit, fashion sense, and caring nature.

“I want my baby to get justice,” her father said. Other family members are determined to keep pushing for answers.

“I’m not gonna let them sweep this under the rug. I want every single person charged,” Clydetta said, contemplating spending $2,000 on a billboard advertisement to draw attention to the case.

“People are starting to forget about her,” she added.