By Associated Press and Snejana Farberov and Associated Press Reporter A search of a park for an 8-year-old girl who has been missing for nearly a month is now a 'recovery operation,' although District of Columbia police haven't given up hope of finding the child alive, Chief Cathy Lanier said Thursday. A day after Relisha Tenau Rudd was last seen on March 1 in the district, suspect Kahlil Malik Tatum bought a carton of 42-gallon contractor trash bags at a store in Washington and was seen in the area of the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Lanier said. 'We can't ignore the possibility he may have killed her,' Lanier said at a news conference at the park.
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Relisha Tenau Rudd, 8, was last seen alive March 1; next day, Kahlil Tatum, 51, was seen buying box of contractor trash bags
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Relisha's family asked Tatum, a janitor at homeless shelter where they had been living, to care for the girl on February 26
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The 8-year-old's mother did not file missing persons report and told police Relisha was traveling with 'Dr Tatum'
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Janitor allegedly pretended to be Relisha's physician to get her out of school with help from her family
@placeholder is about 4ft tall and weighs between 70 and 80 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.