As we near the close of this month’s issue, it’s worth remembering that every drug statistic is an aggregate of individual lives. In the following poem, Dinora Escobar shares the story of a young woman living with drug addiction far from home.
Written by Dinora Escobar
Tijuana, a famous city on
the border of Mexico and California, USA.
An area known as Zona Norte, by the Tijuana Arch.
The Arch is well known. At the entrance of Tijuana, right in the heart of Zona Norte.
It’s like a “ little Vegas”, as many tourist say, but much more poor and dangerous a place; full of drugs,
prostitution, crime, poverty. A place where everything has a price, even your freedom.
Law enforcement is corrupted, a place where many come to fulfill their fantasies, and go home like nothing
ever happened. But what about those that this is their reality. A fast lane life, a place that, to many is a fun,
tourist place and to others this is home. A place to survive.
A place to easily get caught up and lost, where many end up like Ieesha Shiann.
Ieesha Shiann, is a female aged 24, born in mid east of the United States.
She resides in the “zona norte”
located at 1st and coahuila.
Ieesha, living life day by day.
To support her drug habit and to get by she is also a worker of the streets, prostitution. She uses heroin and crystal methamphetamine, also known as “criko”or ice” on the streets.
Ieesha has a story that no one knows. A lot of people wonder, but don’t understand her due to the language barrier, and that she’s mostly in her own world of hallucinations. It is hard to get a full story or even a full sentence without distractions.
I asked Ieesha if I could interview her. She seemed a little scared, uncomfortable with the idea of it, but then she agrees.
Ieesha where were you born?
In Minnesota with the snow and where I lost my babies.
You have kids?
Yes two and I lost them.
How did you lose your kids?
The system took them from me and put them with another family and I don’t know where they are.
Why and how did you start doing drugs?
I lost my kids, don’t know where they are.
How did you end up here?
If you’re not from here?
He left me here.
Who?
A men we got high. I was so high on drugs I can’t remember, but we were here together getting high. High, for a couple of weeks and one day he left, I couldn’t find him I didn’t know what to do.
How long you been here?
I think three years
Where’s your family?
Don’t know I need to contact them, someone to let them know where I’m at.
What do you consume and how do you get by as far as financially?
“You want sex?” That’s all I say to get “globo”.
Globo means balloon in English. A word that is used for the little plastic containing the drug.
Where do you sleep? Shower?
If I have money motels sometime, or a client will pay for a room all night and if not I sleep like the” dogs and cats”.
What does that mean?
Wherever I can lay down on the streets. If is cold or rains I can use boxes to shield myself from the cold.
Ieesha has asked me in the past if their are any Rehabilitation Centers here in Tijuana.
Yes there are but as private organizations. So there’s a fee.
At times I just wonder about Ieesha. She comes in says “hi”, she stares around. and she cries. Cries and she only speaks of what I believe is a constant memory to her, in her head. What she can still remember and acknowledge; her kids that she lost and a man that left her here.
Why don’t you cross the border if you’re a USA Citizen?
I never go to border or cross. Nope never cross.
Why? You can get help out there.
Is too late. Where do I go?
Like many others Ieesha randomly sleeps in the streets and hopes for shelter.
She goes around to the local stores at times to ask for food, including my work place.
Many people that know her will hand out clothes to her. They say she wasn’t like this at first.
She was a normal, healthy, young girl,
but drugs have made her lose herself to the streets.
28 Comments
Bobbi
September 5, 2018 at 6:11 amShe has been missing from okreek south Dakota on the rosebud Sioux Indian reservation. Her family has been searching for her.
panadmin
September 5, 2018 at 10:43 amHello Bobbi,
We have asked the writer to find her again, and let her know her family is still looking for her.
Alyssa
September 5, 2018 at 7:21 amBring my cousin home please!
panadmin
September 5, 2018 at 10:43 amHello Alyssa,
We are not in direct contact with her, but we have asked the writer to reach out to her again.
Hopefully, she’ll be back home soon.
Aunt Natalie
September 5, 2018 at 10:46 amMy niece has been missing! Her family has been looking for her. Please, we want to get her home.
panadmin
September 5, 2018 at 10:48 amHello Natalie,
The writer is going to reach out to her again to put her in contact with her family.
Gaby
September 6, 2018 at 12:55 amContact FBI office in Lake Havasu.
Get them involved.
Auntie Aileen
September 5, 2018 at 11:11 amThis is my niece..PLEASE help us! We all love her and want her back! 😭💔
panadmin
September 5, 2018 at 11:34 amHello Aileen,
The writer will reach out to her. Hopefully, she’ll be back home soon.
Katrina
September 5, 2018 at 1:15 pmI pray that god hears your families cry that a miracle will happen to bring your loved one home safe and sound.
MEAGON EVANSTON
September 5, 2018 at 3:19 pmShe has a lot of family in Parker Az where she last resided, Ieesha’s Mom, brothers, sister aunts, uncles and cousins who miss and love her and who have been searching for her and worried about her and her safe return.
Hollie
September 5, 2018 at 3:35 pmPlease help her come home. I say this thru tears as i read this article. She has family (immediate) in Parker, Arizona. She has a facebook account… her missing infirmation is posted there with contact persons listed. Please please help her come home. God bless you for any help you can give.
Sister Mahpiya
September 5, 2018 at 3:37 pmThis is my big sister.. please find her. Tell her we are looking for her. And we want her to come home to us and her babies. We all love and miss her. We need her here. We need her to stay strong until she comes home.
Pandemic
September 5, 2018 at 4:09 pmDear Ieesha’s loved ones,
We have informed Dinora that Ieesha’s family is actively looking for her. Dinora seems confident that she will be able to find her again. We passed along the Facebook missing person page so she will be able to contact your family directly with any progress.
Charlie
September 6, 2018 at 12:02 amHave Dinora contact the CRIT Police Department. 928 669 1277 so we can assist her on locating Ieesha and provide transportation back to her family in Parker Az. PLEASE!
Friend
September 5, 2018 at 5:38 pmPraying so hard she is reunited with her family! Please God answer there prayers! 💜😓🙏
Kayla
September 5, 2018 at 5:39 pmMy heart breaks for you all and my prayers are with you all. In the article it states the street she was on, why hasn’t any family went there to get answers, post posters!?! All you have to do is get a passport I believe and then start where the lady who wrote the story said where she was last and go from there. Or maybe take this article to Crit so they know now she needs help. My heart crys for you all, and I’m praying she will be back with you all soon!! Have faith and keep praying!!! ❤️
Natalie
September 5, 2018 at 9:35 pmI love you, Ieesha. 😢💔🙏🙏🙏
Kim whipple
September 5, 2018 at 11:55 pmHer family has been looking for her for quiet some time. I pray she is back with her babies and family soon. Please help bring her home.
Prayers for her family and friends.
Concerned for Ieesha
September 6, 2018 at 12:51 amPolice in Parker,Az should get the FBI involved on this case.
Cissy Eagleman
September 6, 2018 at 1:56 amPrayers for this little girl to be found. I say little girl because she is the age of my youngest daughter.
Prayers from a Mother & Grandmother in Montana.
Jesus Mercy!, may she be found safe & brought back to her family and be reunited. IN Jesus’ holy name I pray….
Amen…
Praying for Ieesha
September 6, 2018 at 4:37 amMy heart goes out to this young woman, Lord God Almighty please protect Ieesha and safely bring her home, and give her her life back, her mind, peace, joy and all that was stolen from her, I plead the Blood of Jesus over her and ask you Father to open doors that will bring a miracle! Please make a way where there seemed to be no way, NOTHING is impossible to you, Life restored and comfort to the family and strength to all, in Jesus’ name I pray, may God watch over her and keep her 🙏 Amen
Kristin Marie Stroup
September 6, 2018 at 5:32 pmPraying we find her. I don’t know why Parker, AZ is just now getting her missing flyer spread around but none the less at least we have a lead. Please almighty Lord, bring her home safely and get her the help she needs
Lynnette
September 7, 2018 at 4:03 pmI hope and pray that those of you reading and commenting on this article and say you are helping my daughter find her daughter and bring her home are SINCERE in doing so. My daughter has been searching for Ieesha from the time she quit calling to check on her babies and to just talk, like she was born to her. They have meant as much to her as her own children and to get her hopes up that she will finally get her home or someone’s going do something, it’s a different story then her heart breaks all over again. We are sincere in our search for our daughter/granddaughter, So if you are for REAL thank you and may the Creator bless you.
Melody Joy
September 8, 2018 at 4:31 amMy name is Melody Joy, I am her Grandmothers sister, Linda Joy HEIDINGER.
IEESHA, if you see this, your children are safe, they are with family!!! We need you home!! You are very much loved and missed. It is not too late, absolutely NOT TOO LATE, to come home. We could get you help, baby!!!
IEESHA plz, contact us here in South
Dakota. What is it you need for us to do?? Where do we go?? How do we see you!! IEESHA Cheyenne Nightpipe, you are LOVED, MISSED,NEEDED AND WANTED BY YOUR FAMILY. HEARTS ARE BROKEN AND TEARS ARE SHED FOR YOU BABY!!! HELP US TO HELP YOU
GET HOME!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! PRAYERS BABY GIRL 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😞😞😞😭😭😭💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💖💖💖💖💖
Monica Gonzalez 'Mona Moans'
September 9, 2018 at 1:44 amI WAS SO SADDENED WHILE READING MY COUSINS INTERVIEW TEARS DROPPING NONSTOP 😥 THERE ISNT ADAY THAT GOES BY THAT I DONT THINK OF YOU CUZ ‘SNOOZ’. I MISS U SO MUCH U NEED TO COME HOME I NEED UR HELP! I HVE HAD 2 BABYSHOWERS AND IT TAKES ME BACK WHEN I STILL LIVED IN DA HOOD AND REMEMBER WE HAD ONE FOR TIFFANY? WE WORKED SO HARD ON IT!!! IT WAS FUN AND BONDED MORE U R VERY MISSED JULIO MISSES U, TWEETY MISSES U ALSO JULIOS KIDS R GROWING FAST AND TIFFANY IS HVING ANOTHER BABY AND YAY THERE HVING A BOY!!!!! SO JULIO HAS 4 ALTOGETHER AND TWEETY HAS 3. COME HOME THEY R WAITING TO MEET U CUZ THEIR CRAZY THINGS THEY DO AND SAY THEY’ WILL HAVE YOU ROLLING AROUND IN LAUGHTER💗 ITS NEVER TO LATE TO GET HELP BABY WE ARE HERE FOR U EVERY STEP OF THE WAY… DEAR JESUS PLEASE BE WITH MY COUSIN TODAY. ONLY YOU KNOW THE TRAILS SHE GOES THROUGH EVERY DAY. HELP HER KNOW YOU ARE THERE NO MATTER WHAT. DON’T LET HER GIVE UP. I LOVE HER VERY MUCH. MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW. PLEASE PROTECT HER LORD. SHOW HER TRUE LOVE. AMEN
IF YOU CAN PLEASE READ HER THIS PLEASE. SHE IS MUCH MORE THAN A COUSIN TO ME SHES LIKE MY DAUGHTER I WILL GO LOOK FOR YOU BABY ITS TIME TO COME HOME!!! I WILL B SEEING YOU SOON I PROMISE ❤️ YOU MUAH..
Monica Gonzalez 'Mona Moans'
September 9, 2018 at 5:05 pmPLEASE READ IT TO HER
Anonymous
April 5, 2019 at 8:57 amShe’s is now home safely thanks to your guys help! ❤️❤️