Pauly Likens, a 14-year-old transgender girl from Sharon, Pennsylvania, was found deceased near Shenango River Lake in Clark Borough, Pennsylvania.
Her parents reported her missing on June 25. The authorities determined that she had met up with a man, DaShawn Watkins, and charged him with first-degree murder.
Highlights
- Pauly Likens identified as a transgender female and embraced the feminist side. She never left the home without saying, “I Love You” to her parents.
- Her father knew something was wrong and searched the last place she was seen.
- She was the second trans or gender-expansive person who lost her life during Pride month.
Pauly Likens was born in Sharon Regional on July 6, 2009. She was a few days away from celebrating her birthday when her father reported her missing.
The 14-year-old was last seen near a canoe launch on June 22, and policemen confirmed DaShawn took her life a day later. She had connected with him on the LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr.
Pauly was an aspiring park ranger and a prankster who loved nature. She touched the hearts of everyone she met.
Her close friends and family commemorated her life with the hashtag #transkidsdeservetogrowup, which is spreading on Instagram.
It’s heartbreaking to think about the pain her family must be going through.
Pauly Likens’s Parents Mourns The Tragic Loss
The loss of their precious daughter devasts Pauly Likens’s parents, Paul Likens Sr. and Jennifer McClure.
The last thing her father told her was that he loved her and would call her after work, but it went straight to the voicemail.
MISSING Pauly Likens
— JB Buzz (@LiveHealthPro1) June 30, 2024
Location: Sharon, PA
Last Seen: June 22, 2024
Age Now: 14
Height: 5'8"
Missing since Saturday, he was last seen with friends in the Willow Village, with his phone pinging in the Willow Village. Commonly seen wearing a beanie or hat, and converse shoes. pic.twitter.com/SqRFk118DG
Paul knew something was going wrong and looked to the last place Pauly was seen.
I sit with God, so God’s got my back. He’s been holding me up, making sure I don’t fall and I’m going to make it.
Paul Likens Sr. expressed.
Jennifer McClure wants Pauly to be remembered for who she was. She wants everyone to know that Pauly identified as a transgender female and embraced that feminist side of her.
Amanda Benedict organized a fundraiser to help her rest on GoFundMe on behalf of Jennifer McClure.
Pauly Likens never left the house without saying, “I Love You.” She was a selfless person who never missed a chance to help others. She donated her spare change to the veterans standing outside Walmart.
Sadly, Pauly was the second trans or gender-expansive person who lost her life during Pride month.
She is survived by her parents, Paul A Likens Sr. and Jennifer L McClure, and siblings Alexa McClure and Michael Likens. Similarly, her maternal grandparents, Lori and Daniel Morsillo, and paternal grandparents, Joyce and Butch Likens.
Additional Information
- Pauly Likens’s nearest LGBTQ+ support group, the Shenango Valley LGBTQIA+ Alliance, will host a candlelight vigil for her at 87 Stambaugh Ave. in Sharon.
- According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 18 transgender and gender-expansive people have lost their lives this year from violent means.
- Pauly Likens, the beautiful and loving person, used she/her pronouns. She studied at Mercer Elementary and Junior High Schools.
