Learn more about Katie's story tonight on News 3 at 11
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Since Katie Barham’s death over a year and a half ago, her father says her pictures are too difficult to see.
“I’ve had these pictures turned down for a couple of years because I can’t look at them every day,” David Barham told News 3.
He remembers her smile.
{Courtesy: Barham Family)
“There’s no words to describe. There truly are not enough words to describe that feeling,” he tearfully told News 3.
He’s now a man in search of answers: What exactly happened to Katie?
“I’m just sitting here in limbo with nothing going on. It’s a cold case, and it’s probably shoved to the back drawer. I’m very mad about that,” he said.
David blames the Portsmouth Police Department. He says they waited too long to assign a detective to her case.
“They missed their window. They had 13 days. They may have been able to save her, or find out the ‘why,’ the ‘why’ would give you the ‘who,’ but they dropped the ball entirely on that. I’m really not a fan of Portsmouth police,” he said.
The department refused to answer our questions on camera, but wrote us a response on why it took so long for a detective to be assigned to Katie’s case.
“Unfortunately, people who are not often reported missing are not missing, and do not want to be found at that time. An investigator was assigned to her case as soon as she was actually determined to be missing,” a spokesperson with the Portsmouth Police Department wrote.
For David, that answer isn’t good enough.
“It makes me feel like my daughter was unimportant,” he said.
So, now, a year and a half later, pictures are hard to see – and answers are hard to come by.
Previous coverage:
Missing mother’s memorial taken down
Medical Examiner: Cause, manner of death for Portsmouth mother undetermined
Neighbors raise questions over missing mother, nearby homeless people
Lack of answers in missing mother’s death puts neighborhood on high alert
Body found Wednesday confirmed to be missing Portsmouth woman
