Five teens from group home found as one goes AWOL again

Police are once again looking for Jailynn Gray, 16, who left her group home for the second time in the early morning hours of August 8.—Photo courtesy of the NYPD.

By David Greene 

Bronx Voice 

August 12, 2025 

BRONX - According to the NYPD, five female teenagers who disappeared from a group home between May 14 and June 7^th—have all been found safe and unharmed and no criminality was suspected—but police now say that one of the teens is missing again.

According to police officials, Jailynn Gray, 16, disappeared from the Howe Avenue group home in Castle Hill at 2:58 a.m. on August 8. Officials describe Gray as being 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds. Gray was last seen wearing white clothing.

As previously reported Jy-Lee Connor, 14; Jayleen Suarez, 15; Dezi Whittingham, 15, and Yelena Baergea, 17, and Gray all disappeared from the group home in Castle Hill at different days and times over the course of 25 days.

On July 22, an official with the NYPD confirmed that Baergea, 17, who was reported missing on June 7, was located on June 11. Connor disappeared on May 14 and was found on May 27. Suarez went missing from the home on May 23 and was located on May 31.

Gray first left the home on May 27 and was found on May 31. Whittingham was last seen on May 31 and was not located until July 12. Baergea was reported missing on June 7 and found on June 11.

An official at the NYPD was asked if the girls were returned to the home or if any criminality was involved, the official simply replied, “No criminality suspected.” The official offered no comment when asked about particulars on the investigation, prior police calls or previous missing teens from the home called “Rosalie Hall” which is run by Catholic Guardians.

As one teen was still missing on June 23, one male resident of the block who was unaware of the missing teens, said of the group home, “Okay, I know which house you’re talking about, that’s a disgrace to the community to be honest with you.”

Asked what his problem with the home was, he replied, claiming, “The kids are out in the road late in the night, until 1 – 2 o’clock in the morning. It’s really a nice community, I’ve lived here for seven years now and there’s always a problem here.”

The resident claimed the teens come and go as they please, adding, “They have fights on the road, and the police are always there. I mean every week the police are here.”

According to their website, the home assists pregnant teens or teens who have recently given birth and are currently in the foster care system. The resident was asked about that fact when he said, “They have kids, some of them. I see little kids and babies and stuff like that.” The resident concluded, “They have boyfriends, and they come over there in front of the property.”

On June 11, activist Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights stated that she has been complaining to local elected officials about foster agencies since 2023. She claimed, “These foster agencies that are getting millions of dollars in funding and they’re not providing the proper mental health services for the children and for the teens that are in their care.”

Guerino, who owns her own daycare center called, “Just Like Home Daycare,” since 1993, explained, “The problem is that when you complain about the children in your care, that they are not getting the services that they’re entitled to, the agency sets you up.”

“The agency will not just set me up,” Guerino continued, “but they’ll set up the foster parents. If a foster parent complains too much about why the child in my care hasn’t been to the dentist, why is this eight-year-old’s teeth rotten? The excuse the case worker will tell you is, ‘Oh, we haven’t had time to take them to the dentist.”

Guerino would like to see the Advocacy Center reopened, a needed intermediary between group homes, teachers and caregivers and families who had settled issues as they arise. Guerino says the center has been closed since the pandemic.

According to their website, Catholic Guardians, which was founded in 1887 and works with assistance from the Archdiocese of New York and had a budget of $83 million in 2023.

On July 23, the Bronx Voice contacted the communications department at the Archdiocese of New York, when “Caroline” stated, “You’ll have to speak to our director; he’s out of the office at the moment.” The Archdiocese of New York did not respond to repeated requests for comment while the teens were still missing back in June.

Also on July 23, a call was placed to Catholic Charities which is the foster care arm of the archdiocese, the call went straight to voicemail and the inquiry was not returned.

On July 23, a source at the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) explained that current laws prohibit them from sharing information on specific cases. The source noted that ACS currently has 120 investigative consultants who are retired NYPD detectives who work closely with law enforcement officials who help to locate missing and vulnerable youth and teens who go missing.

ACS has previously stated that they have most recently investigated the neglect of 79,000 children and provides preventive services to 27,000 children daily. ACS also provides contractual services to 17,000 children through 44 foster agencies citywide.

Anyone who suspects child abuse is urged to call the New York State Central Register Child Abuse & Maltreatment Hotline 24 hours a day at 1 (800) 342-3720.