AURORA, Colorado — On July 6, 14-year-old Kamiaya Cleveland went to a friend's birthday party. Her family says she was waiting in the car, ready to leave, when she was shot and killed.
The Aurora Police Department said the shooting happened at Highlands Hollow Park near South Uravan Street. There was some kind of fight that broke out at the party at the park when the shooting occurred.
Three victims were taken to the hospital. Kamiaya was killed when she was shot in the head while sitting in the backseat of a friend's vehicle, according to her family. The two other victims included a 14-year-old and 15-year-old who were both injured.
"She never saw it coming," said Annie Cleveland, her grandmother.
Her friends rushed her to the hospital. When her mom, Krystal Cleveland, arrived, she learned within an hour that her daughter had died.
Kamiaya would have turned 15 earlier this week.
"She was supposed to be 15. That was the hardest day thus far [for] having a birthday party that she wasn’t at," Krystal said.
"That was really hard because her little sister blew out her candles and it’s like, she should have been here to blow out her candles," said Kandice Cleveland, Kamiaya's aunt. "It’s just because of a senseless act of violence that she couldn’t do it."
The family describes her as the kind of teenager who would "light up a room." She loved to cook meals for her family and never left the house without saying, "I love you."
"For me, it’s her dances. I love her dances. She had a dance for everything," said Kayla Cleveland, Kamiaya's aunt. "That's my memory etched on my heart."
In the 29 days after her death, the family said they have learned little information about the case and have almost no contact with the Aurora Police Department.
"That’s where the frustration comes in. I don’t feel like the Aurora Police Department is taking it seriously," Krystal said. "I have not received one phone call from the Aurora Police Department saying, 'Oh hey Krystal, I’m sorry for your loss. I’m the detective that’s on the case, and this is what I am going to do to get it done.' I have not spoken with the detective that is on my daughter’s case not even one time. They haven’t reached out to me. They haven’t said anything."
In the days after the shooting, Krystal received multiple videos and information from people who attended the party. While she has pointed them to share the information with the police department and Crime Stoppers, she isn't sure what information has been provided to the police or what is being investigated as part of her daughter's case.
"My daughter is allowed to be gone for 29 days without consequence. It’s not fair," Krystal said.
The Aurora Police Department maintains that they have had contact with Kamiaya's family. They said they'd been in touch with her grandmother as recently as last week.
"Detectives from our Major Crimes Homicide Unit remain dedicated to solving this case and providing justice for the family," the department said in a statement. "They continue following up on leads and are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers."
The family said their frustration is that they haven’t had any outreach from the department, and have always had to reach out for information.
With the park's location, the family knows someone must have seen something. They are asking anyone who knows any information to come forward. They also would like people who live near the park to check the footage on any doorbell cameras that may have recorded what happened.
"Between the cameras and the partygoers, somebody knows something. For there still not to have been anything that happened to my niece who was so young and didn’t deserve it, it's like beyond frustrating," Kayla said. "It’s like they’re failing us."