Emanuele Berry

But Katie had said she'd bought Nevaeh for free. That detail stuck with Nevaeh. Then she started to hear from other people that Katie had said stuff. Was that true? The screenshots Katie sent Nevaeh didn't have the full conversation. In the screenshot she does have, Katie says nothing. Was it possible there was something in the missing parts of the chat? Nevaeh wondered, did she laugh at me?

But Katie had said she'd bought Nevaeh for free. That detail stuck with Nevaeh. Then she started to hear from other people that Katie had said stuff. Was that true? The screenshots Katie sent Nevaeh didn't have the full conversation. In the screenshot she does have, Katie says nothing. Was it possible there was something in the missing parts of the chat? Nevaeh wondered, did she laugh at me?

Did she place any bids? No, she probably stayed quiet, didn't say anything. She's the reason I even know what happened. Nevaeh was scared to ask her, so she didn't. They continued to be friends, but the uncertainty weighed on Nevaeh.

Did she place any bids? No, she probably stayed quiet, didn't say anything. She's the reason I even know what happened. Nevaeh was scared to ask her, so she didn't. They continued to be friends, but the uncertainty weighed on Nevaeh.

I contacted Katie through her mom. I wanted them to know that Nevaeh and Katie's friendship would come up in this story. She told me they were not interested in talking and were moving past this incident. Nevaeh started to withdraw from Katie. When Katie confronted her about why she was ignoring her, the conversation Nevaeh had been avoiding happened.

I contacted Katie through her mom. I wanted them to know that Nevaeh and Katie's friendship would come up in this story. She told me they were not interested in talking and were moving past this incident. Nevaeh started to withdraw from Katie. When Katie confronted her about why she was ignoring her, the conversation Nevaeh had been avoiding happened.

Nevaeh hasn't talked to her since. The Snapchat slave trade was almost nine months ago. Because there was a school investigation and a police investigation and a Title IX investigation, lots of adults, school administrators, police, know exactly what was said in those messages. But Nevaeh doesn't. It really bugs her. How odd to have an otherwise ordinary rite of passage for any high schooler.

Nevaeh hasn't talked to her since. The Snapchat slave trade was almost nine months ago. Because there was a school investigation and a police investigation and a Title IX investigation, lots of adults, school administrators, police, know exactly what was said in those messages. But Nevaeh doesn't. It really bugs her. How odd to have an otherwise ordinary rite of passage for any high schooler.

What did my friend say and do behind my back? I actually have a documented answer. Nevaeh says she asked for the full conversation from the school, but they never gave it to her and told her Katie shouldn't have shared it. They told her if she wanted to see more, she could file a Freedom of Information Act request or a FOIA request. So she did. I did too. And then Nevaeh waited.

What did my friend say and do behind my back? I actually have a documented answer. Nevaeh says she asked for the full conversation from the school, but they never gave it to her and told her Katie shouldn't have shared it. They told her if she wanted to see more, she could file a Freedom of Information Act request or a FOIA request. So she did. I did too. And then Nevaeh waited.

I asked her, you know it could say some really hurtful stuff, right?

I asked her, you know it could say some really hurtful stuff, right?

My FOIA request came in first. It was close to 500 pages printed out, emails after emails, police reports, disciplinary hearing forms. But it's heavily redacted, which is honestly pretty normal for a FOIA. I brought it to Nevaeh's house, and she, her mom, and I sat at the kitchen table trying to sort through it all.

My FOIA request came in first. It was close to 500 pages printed out, emails after emails, police reports, disciplinary hearing forms. But it's heavily redacted, which is honestly pretty normal for a FOIA. I brought it to Nevaeh's house, and she, her mom, and I sat at the kitchen table trying to sort through it all.

The screenshots Nevaeh was hoping to see fully blacked out. There were little bits of information here and there in the report, but it was hard to decipher. There was some new information in there. For one thing, this Snapchat wasn't the first time that a group of kids sold their Black peers in a slave auction.

The screenshots Nevaeh was hoping to see fully blacked out. There were little bits of information here and there in the report, but it was hard to decipher. There was some new information in there. For one thing, this Snapchat wasn't the first time that a group of kids sold their Black peers in a slave auction.

In the FOIA, the kid who started the slave trade in Traverse City said they saw it on TikTok. There was another one in Texas. Second, the FOIA made it clear that there were more screenshots than the ones Nevaeh had seen. All of them are blacked out. I could see the frustration and disappointment on Nevaeh's face as she flipped through page after page.

In the FOIA, the kid who started the slave trade in Traverse City said they saw it on TikTok. There was another one in Texas. Second, the FOIA made it clear that there were more screenshots than the ones Nevaeh had seen. All of them are blacked out. I could see the frustration and disappointment on Nevaeh's face as she flipped through page after page.

Nevaeh saw something in the FOIA that gave her pause. The names are blacked out, but she could see in the report that someone in the chat didn't participate. She kept seeing that over again. Blacked out name, did not participate. Fifty pages later, blacked out name, did not participate. Was that Katie?

Nevaeh saw something in the FOIA that gave her pause. The names are blacked out, but she could see in the report that someone in the chat didn't participate. She kept seeing that over again. Blacked out name, did not participate. Fifty pages later, blacked out name, did not participate. Was that Katie?