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Although African Americans make up just 13 percent of the U.S. population, we account for 33 percent of the missing in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s database. Cases involving African Americans also tend to receive less media coverage than missing Whites, with missing men of color getting even less attention.

NewsOne has partnered with the Black and Missing Foundation and TV One to focus on the crisis of missing African Americans.

To be a part of the solution, NewsOne will profile a missing person weekly and provide tips about how to keep your loved ones safe and what to do if someone goes missing, while TV One‘s newest show, “Find Our Missing,” hosted by award-winning actress S. Epatha Merkerson, tells these stories in visual form.

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Nami Patel

Case Type: Endangered

DOB: January 1, 1996

Missing Date: Oct 29, 2012

Age Now: 16

Missing City: Summerton

Missing State: South Carolina

Gender: Female

Race: Asian

Complexion: Light

Height: 5-3

Weight: 100

Hair Color: Black

Hair Length: Shoulder Length

Eye Color: Brown

Wear Glasses or Contacts: No

Location Last Seen: According to the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, Patel was last seen when she was dropped off at school at Clarendon Hall in Summerton at around 8:15 a.m.

Circumstances of Disappearance: Patel was reported missing by her mother and sister at 4 p.m. Monday after she was not at school when they went to pick her up. Investigators have determined that after arriving at school, Patel walked her cousin inside and then left the school grounds. Her 26-year old brother-in-law Sanjeev Verma (pictured at right) is also missing (profile here). The police are not sure if the two cases are related. They are both of Indian decent.

According to WISTV 10:

Orangeburg Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said Verma was reported missing by his wife just after 10 p.m. Monday. “At this point, we cannot rule out anything. Sanjeev is a husband and father. We want to be able to locate him and ease the minds of his family members that he is safe,” said Ravenell. Verma’s vehicle (a gray 2007 Nissan Sentra) was located Tuesday morning in another town.

Verma is the manager of the Corner Store in Elloree. He was last seen wearing a brown and white jacket, white and black Aeropostale shirt, light blue jeans and white sneakers.

Last Seen Wearing: Patel was last seen wearing a yellow V-neck shirt with white dots, blue jeans, white Nike shoes and a black jacket. She was also carrying a white Coach bag.

Identifying Marks or Characteristics: Unknown.

If you have information regarding the whereabouts of Nami Patel or Sanjeev Verma, call CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC or contact the Black and Missing Foundation’s confidential Tip Line.