On a frigid night in late January, 29-year-old Mykea Matthews was out with friends at a nightclub on Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia — a place she knew well. But what began as a night of music and laughter ended in heartbreak and confusion for her loved ones.
Last Seen Alive — Then Gone
According to her family, Matthews was last seen around Jan. 23 with two friends at the club. Security at the venue reportedly told the family she was escorted out for being intoxicated. When her friends went back inside briefly, Matthews was no longer there when they returned — the moment that launched more questions than answers.
Neighbors never heard from her again, and her girlfriend’s calls went unanswered — something her family described as very unusual.
A Tragic Discovery
The next afternoon, after a missing-person report was filed, Philadelphia police were dispatched to the 2000 block of Richmond Street, where they found Matthews unresponsive on the ground beneath a highway overpass. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities have not publicly released a final cause or manner of death. The Medical Examiner’s Office is investigating, and the Philadelphia Police Department is reviewing the circumstances.
What Police Have Said
Police confirmed:
- Matthews’ body was found outdoors in frigid temperatures under Code Blue weather conditions, designed to warn of dangerous cold.
- The investigation is active, and officials are working with the Medical Examiner’s Office.
No official explanation has yet been released on how Matthews traveled from the nightclub to the location where she was found — a distance of more than a mile — or what exactly caused her death.
Family’s Questions and Concerns
From the start, Matthews’ loved ones have questioned the official narrative:
- Her sister, Bayyinah Matthews, described Mykea as someone who “would give you the clothes off her back” — not someone likely to wander alone into extreme cold.
- The family says they were told she had trauma to parts of her face and head, and bruises, details that added to their doubt about a simple exposure death.
- Bayyinah has publicly said, “I’m trying to put the pieces together and it’s not adding up… nothing that they’re telling me is adding up.”
In social media posts shared widely online, her sister implored the public to come forward with any information or cameras that might show what happened to Mykea that night — believing someone must have seen something along the busy stretch of Delaware Avenue.
A Family Still Searching for Answers
As the investigation continues, Matthews’ loved ones are pressing for more clarity:
- How did she end up alone in sub-freezing weather?
- Why did she travel more than a mile on foot — late at night — from where she was last seen?
- What happened during the hours between when she left the club and when she was found?
Philadelphia police and the Medical Examiner’s Office have not yet answered all of these questions. Meanwhile, those who knew Mykea best are determined not to let her story fade quietly.
