Missing teen's family wants answers

When her grandmother last saw her, 13-year-old Aja Stroud was leaving for school. That was May 18.

More than three months later, the girl's family has no idea where she is, but clings to the hope she'll be found safe.

Aja's mother, who lives in Ohio, told the AJC she doesn't feel DeKalb County detectives are doing enough to find her daughter.

"I don’t know if she’s alive or what’s going on," Lonyel Cole, Aja's mother, said during a recent trip to Atlanta to search for her daughter. "All I know is she’s missing and nobody cares except me."

DeKalb officials said the department has no active leads.

Several months ago, Cole said much of her time in Ohio was spent helping her mother, who later lost her battle with cancer.

Aja's father, who lives in DeKalb County, offered to help by letting Aja move in with him, Cole said. Aja's paternal grandmother lives in Atlanta, Cole said.

In March, Aja started school at the DeKalb County Alternative School, Cole said. After an argument with her father, Aja went to her grandmother's house, near West End, Cole said. It was there where she said goodbye to grandmother, Carolyn Stroud, before taking a MARTA bus to school.

School officials have told the family that Aja was at school the entire day. But when school ended, she didn't return home, Cole said.

Carolyn Stroud called police.

“They came out and made the initial report and left me a card," she said. "They told me I’d be contacted by a detective."

Aja's father, Louis Stroud, also called police in DeKalb County on May 18, the family says.

And then, the waiting began, Cole said. Aja's case is being handled as a runaway, and Cole said detectives have told her it's not a priority.

"I’m doing more investigation than they have during the three months," Cole said. "I’m coming in Atlanta blind searching around for my child.”

Aja doesn't have a cell phone and didn't have more than bus fare with her. Plus, the teen is bipolar and typically takes medication to control the condition.

"She cannot make any clear decisions," Cole said.

Aja's grandmother is hopeful that someone has seen her granddaughter and has helped her survive the past three months. Carolyn Stroud says a MARTA bus driver told her recently she had seen Aja.