ATLANTA — A metro Atlanta mother addressed the man who was finally arrested after avoiding arrest for nearly two years in her daughter's presumed death and missing persons case.
"I really just want to speak to Steven (Oboite) and the people who have been helping him evade. Just give me my daughter back. There is no doubt that these people had my daughter," said Allahnia's Lenoir's mother, Jannette Jackson.
According to jail records, Steven Oboite was arrested in Bartow County. He was taken into custody by Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officers on June 1 for violating boating laws on Lake Allatoona. He has been wanted in the presumed death of Lenoir since 2022.
DNR officials said Oboite led authorities on a chase while on a jet ski and briefly ran away before his long-awaited capture.
"At this point, Steven, if there is anything in you left that is human, please just tell me where my daughter is so that we can lay her to rest," she added at Wednesday's news conference.
Lenoir was last seen on July 30, 2022, at a Midtown apartment complex at the 1600 block of Peachtree Street NE. Her family said she was supposed to be visiting friends.
For months, Lenoir's family handed out flyers, hoping anyone with information would come forward with the case.
Police officially released their missing person advisory on Aug. 1, 2022. Meanwhile, a private investigator was hired by Lenoir's family to help with the search. APD then updated the public on Sept. 20, 2022, stating they believe the 24-year-old "was murdered and that her body was disposed of." Her body has not been found.
Three men were arrested in Lenoir's case. Her mother told 11Alive on Wednesday that if she could say anything to the suspects, she would "speak to their hearts."
"Every time I go to court, I look for something in them. I look to see if there's some kind of real fear. If there's some real kind of remorse," Jackson said.
The heartbroken mother also addressed those who might have helped Oboite evade the police.
"For those of you that have been helping him, this is not one of those things where a mistake, this was intentional. You will get to see that when court comes out, none of the things that these people did were by accident," she added.
Jackson spoke with 11Alive shortly after the news conference, where she said nothing could replace the pain of losing her daughter.
"It's been 676 days since my daughter disappeared," Jackson said. "My daughter, not being with us. I'm not sure you could pay that kind of debt in any form. It is indescribable, and I don't think that I would ever be able to really challenge myself to describe it because it's a minute-by-minute day, you know, some hours I try to find time to deal with it. Honestly, I don't have my daughter. I don't feel like I'm any closer to having her."
Jackson told news reporters that she is grateful for their coverage of her daughter's case.
"You pushed and potentially made sure that my daughter was not forgotten about, so I wanted to thank all of you for not forgetting Allahnia, and my family wants to thank you too," she told news reporters on Wednesday.
Watch the mother's full comments at the news conference below.
Atlanta Police Major Peter Malecki also spoke at the news conference, where he commented on the longevity of the case.
"But, from day one, our objective has been to locate and return Allahnia. And that is more true today than ever before. That is our goal," he said. "It is our belief that somebody out there knows where she is and we would plead with that individual to come forward, not for this police department, not for any agency, but for Ms. Jackson and her family. That is the only way that they can get even a sliver of closure in this case."
Major Malecki also thanked his team and Jackson for her help in the case.
"I think the most important person in the room today is Ms. Jackson, the mother of Allahnia Lenoir and she has been really a staple in this investigation. Her strength, her courage, her commitment and being a voice for her daughter this whole time. So I thank you for everything you've done," he added.
Atlanta Police said once his charges are clear in Bartow County, he will be extradited to Fulton County.
More on Allahnia's Lenoir case
Allahnia Lenoir was last seen on July 30, 2022, at a Midtown apartment complex at the 1600 block of Peachtree Street NE. Her family said she was supposed to be visiting friends.
For months, Lenoir's family handed out flyers, hoping anyone with information would come forward.
Police officially released their missing person advisory on Aug. 1, 2022.
Meanwhile, a private investigator was hired by Lenoir's family to help with the search. APD then updated the public on Sept. 20, 2022, stating it believed the 24-year-old "was murdered and that her body was disposed of." Her body has not been found.
Three men have now been arrested in the case, including Oboite, Diante Reynolds and Nicholas Hendrickson.
Both Oboite and Reynolds are being charged with murder in her case, and Hendrickson was charged in 2022 for allegedly lying to officers and tampering with evidence.
Reynolds was recently denied a reconsideration of bond in March as he continues to await trial.