Lowell protest calls for DA Marian Ryan to remove herself from Mikayla Miller case

LOWELL, Mass. — The mother of Hopkinton teenager Mikayla Miller was among a group of people gathered outside Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan’s office in Lowell on Friday, demanding answers in the teenage girl’s death.

“I am very grateful that people are continuing to support my family and finding justice for my daughter,” said Calvina Strothers, who is Mikalya’s mother.

She is demanding that Ryan remove herself from the case involving the death investigation of her 16-year-old daughter, who was found dead by a jogger on April 18 near her Hopkinton home.

The medical examiner determined the cause of death was suicide but her mother refuses to believe that. She says Mikayla was found standing upright, with a belt that wasn’t hers, around her neck, tied to a tree that’s not tall or sturdy enough to withstand her weight.

Monica Cannon-Grant who runs the group violence in Boston, spearheaded the protest calling for DA Ryan’s removal, claiming she has mishandled the case.

“Every ounce of information that has been released in this case we found out via you guys, the media, and not because she has actually shared it with this family,” said Cannon-Grant.

And Cannon-Grant said she’s also collected 16,000 signatures all with one message for DA Ryan.

“Step down. Recuse yourself. Remove yourself from this case and allow an independent investigation to happen,” said Cannon-Grant.

Mikayla’s mother says they will keep going until she gets the answers she wants.

“We will continue to fight until we get justice for my daughter,” said Strothers.

The family has completed their own autopsy but has not released those findings.

Ryan has called the case an unspeakable tragedy and added that so far, there is no evidence suggesting anyone else was with Mikayla at the time of her death.

She also said the investigation into the events surrounding Mikayla’s death are ongoing.

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