Someone injuring her is all I can think about,” Denaya Stewart told Dateline. Simply put, we’re terrified and worried about her.
Queen Destiny Taylor, Denaya’s daughter, has been absent for five months. The 25-year-old was last observed in the Prince William County, Virginia, Gainesville area on August 14, 2024.
Denaya remarked, “I’m just so worried about her.”
Along with nine siblings, Destiny, as her family nicknames her, grew up in Virginia. According to Denaya, we are very close.
About her kid, Denaya remarked, “She’s very loving and giving.” Her personality is nice.
Destiny has two adorable boys of her own. Destiny lived in Gainesville with Denaya at the time of her abduction, along with her kids.
Denaya remembers when she last saw her daughter. It was August 14 in the morning. According to Denaya, she had recently begun working at Buffalo Wild Wings.
Destiny called her mother later that night after taking an Uber to work. Around 9:30 that evening, she had called, and I said, “Where are you?” Denaya remembered. “I went out and hung out with some friends,” she stated. I’m headed home.
Denaya reports that she received a call from Destiny approximately half an hour later, explaining that she had been involved in a car accident with a friend and needed someone to come get her. “Where at?” I asked. Denaya remembered, “By the mall,” she said. “I’ll send your brother,” I said.
Denaya got another call from Destiny while her son was on his way to the place. It came from an unknown number this time.
Destiny clarified that her brother might pick her up at her friend’s aunt’s place after she took an Uber there. “I lost my phone, so I’m calling you from the aunt’s phone,” Denaya stated. Denaya’s kid responded that she might have left it in the Uber when asked how she lost it. She claimed that her phone simply vanished and that she had no idea where it went.
According to Denaya, her son appeared in the Manassas, Virginia, community, which is roughly 20 minutes from Gainesville. He said, “It’s not a good neighborhood,” when he contacted Denaya. Denaya admitted to Dateline that he was uneasy with his girlfriend and kids present.
Denaya informed her daughter that her brother was waiting for her when she returned the call to the unidentified number. According to Destiny, she was still trying to find her phone. “Well,” she recalled, “your brother is feeling a little uneasy.” He is attempting to leave the area.
Destiny contacted her mother again a few minutes later, around midnight, to inform her that her brother had departed. “Well, he’s feeling uncomfortable, so I can’t make him stay,” Denaya added. “Well, Des, figure it out now,” I responded.
Dateline received confirmation from Denaya’s son that his mother remembered what had happened that evening.
Denaya claims that the following day, Destiny’s twin sister Dyamond received a message on Instagram from an unknown account. Denaya recalled hearing someone say, “I’m not coming home,” or something like. However, why would Destiny not use her Instagram to [message]? She had the option to post on her own Instagram. It’s simply so strange.
According to Denaya, the family first awaited Destiny’s return. “We were searching our social media, reaching out to friends, and asking around,” she added. After a while, we went and completed a missing persons report.
Destiny’s relatives filed a missing person’s report on August 28, 2024.
The disappearance of Destiny is being looked into by the Prince William County Police Department. In an email to Dateline, Public Information Officer Lieutenant Jonathan Perok stated that their office has conducted several investigative efforts to find Destiny and that the case’s information indicates Ms. Taylor is absent voluntarily. In addition to stating that information has been shared with other law enforcement agencies in case Destiny is no longer in Prince William County and is listed as missing in the national database, the lieutenant described the inquiry into her whereabouts as active and ongoing.
According to Denaya, the family has also looked for Destiny on other occasions. According to her, we have visited Woodbridge, Dumfries, Manassas, Gainesville, D.C., and Maryland.
Important milestones have been overlooked. Denaya stated that her children’s birthdays had already gone. Not being there for her kids is not typical of her. Destiny and her twin sister Dyamond celebrated their 25th birthdays on January 5. Not Destiny. Regarding Dyamond, Denaya remarked, “It was her first birthday without her sister.” Consequently, she didn’t even rejoice.
Denaya claims that lately, celebrating anything has been difficult. One of Denaya’s boys passed away in a car accident soon after Destiny vanished, and she lost her mother in February 2024. “It has been a series of tragedies,” she remarked. Just a lot of grief at the moment.
Nevertheless, Denaya is optimistic. She pleaded, “I just want to tell you, baby, get home if you can make it.” Nothing is too difficult for God. Everyone here misses you.
Destiny is five feet nine, one hundred and fifty pounds, with black eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a Buffalo Wild Wings T-shirt. She has a butterfly tattoo on her left arm and a facial piercing on her left cheekbone.
If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, contact the Prince William County Police Department at 703-792-6500 or submit an online tip at pwcva.gov/policetip.