Almost a decade has passed since the lifeless body of 22-year-old Nadia Malik was discovered, shrouded by a duffel bag in the passenger seat of a snow-covered car. Despite the passage of time, her family clings to the hope that the mystery surrounding her death will eventually be unraveled.
Mona Malik, Nadia's older sister, reflects on the persistent uncertainty, stating, "Every new year, I hold onto the belief that this is the year we will uncover the truth about what happened to her. When someone is tragically taken away, the yearning for answers becomes all-consuming."
The tragic incident unfolded on February 20, 2014, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Nadia's lifeless body was found ten days after being reported missing from her suburban residence. The last person known to have seen her alive was Bhupinder "Gagan" Singh, her live-in boyfriend and the father of her children.
Singh recounted to the police that he had last seen Nadia after a heated argument about their relationship, prompting him to leave town for his parents' home in Ohio. Upon tracking him down, law enforcement discovered Singh attempting to evade capture through the back door, in possession of Nadia's cell phone and driver's license, according to official documents.
Despite these concerning circumstances, no charges have been filed against Singh or any other individuals. Ten years later, the cause of Nadia's death remains an unsolved puzzle. Unless new evidence emerges, the case remains in a state of dormancy, leaving her family in a perpetual state of longing for closure.
Reported Missing
As the second youngest among six siblings, Nadia was not only beautiful but also reserved, as described by her sister. Her academic prowess shone through as a straight-A student with aspirations of becoming a doctor.
The narrative of Nadia's life took a turn when she crossed paths with Singh at the age of 16, a time when she was a high school student and he worked as a restaurant waiter. Against her family's advice, Nadia and Singh moved in together when she was 19, residing in Marple Township, Pennsylvania. Their union resulted in two young children, alongside the heartbreaking loss of a baby in 2012.
While Nadia initially pursued a career as a pharmacy technician, her employment was terminated due to excessive absences shortly before her untimely death. Despite aspirations of attending Temple University, she never enrolled after taking community college classes. The relationship between Nadia and Singh was marked by volatility, with Mona Malik, her sister, expressing concerns about Singh's mistreatment. Mona believes that Nadia remained in the relationship due to Singh's manipulative tactics.
Police reported that Nadia was last seen with Singh on February 9, 2014, the same day a surveillance camera captured her driving the car in which she would later be found. According to Mona Malik, a troubling call from Nadia to her brother on that day revealed Singh's refusal to let her go.
A missing person report was filed by a friend on February 10, 2014, prompting police action. The car, registered to Singh's father and utilized by the couple, received parking tickets while parked on 23rd Street in Philadelphia. A subsequent snowstorm blanketed the East Coast, resulting in the car being towed for snow removal near 30th Street Station on February 14.
The Malik family, persistently worried, continued their efforts to locate Nadia by contacting hospitals. Tragically, Nadia's lifeless body was discovered on February 20, 2014, after the Marple Township Police Department sought public assistance in locating the car, which had amassed multiple parking tickets. A vigilant observer near the Philly Amtrak station recognized the vehicle, leading to the grim revelation of Nadia's fate.
Cause Of Death A Mystery
Upon responding to the scene, a Philadelphia police officer recounted to the Delaware County Daily Times that the tinted windows of the car obscured Nadia's lifeless body. Only upon opening the car door could the officer observe the grim sight: Nadia's body positioned on its side, with the lower part nestled in the well of the passenger seat and the upper portion resting on the seat. A large bag, extending from the dashboard to the back of the passenger seat like a blanket, covered her.
Autopsy tests conducted seven months later yielded inconclusive results. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's office ruled the cause of Nadia's death as "undetermined," stating that they could not identify any toxicological or anatomical cause for her passing, as reported by Vinny Vella in the Philadelphia Daily News.
The autopsy report, according to Mona Malik, Nadia's sister, revealed that Nadia's ribs had not fully healed, and an unexplained puncture wound adorned her right hand. The origins of this wound remained a mystery to investigators.
The Malik family's perplexity extended beyond Nadia's death to the tragic loss of her three-month-old daughter with Singh. The infant was discovered unresponsive, with her mother nearby, in a car in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The Delaware County Medical Examiner's Office, in July 2014, attributed the baby's cause of death to cachexia, a form of muscular atrophy known as "wasting syndrome," and classified the manner of death as "undetermined," as reported by Vinny Vella.
The confluence of these two tragedies, both unfolding within the confines of a car, inevitably led Nadia's family to contemplate whether there was a link between the two incidents. Mona Malik expressed the difficulty in not questioning the potential connection between these heartbreaking events, adding a layer of complexity to an already mysterious and tragic narrative.
Prime Suspect
Despite numerous attempts, reporters were unable to obtain a comment from Bhupinder Singh regarding the case, and his attorney for the parole violation matter did not respond to a request for comment in December 2023.
Former Marple Township police detective Barry Williams, who handled the missing person's case, identified Singh, then 25 years old, as a "prime suspect" in Nadia's case. Williams clarified that while his department initially oversaw the missing person investigation, once Nadia's body was discovered, the Philadelphia Police Department assumed the lead role in the ongoing inquiry.
Following the trail of Nadia's cell phone, investigators located Singh in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. Police documents revealed that Singh had taken the phone and Nadia's driver's license with him during his departure, as reported by Vinny Vella in the Philadelphia Daily News.
In Ohio, Singh informed the police that he had left Pennsylvania after a heated argument with Nadia regarding their relationship. He claimed that she had given him a black eye and scratches on his face during the altercation. Subsequently, Singh was arrested for violating his probation related to a 2010 DUI case, as he had left the state. He was extradited to Pennsylvania for further legal proceedings.
During police questioning, Singh admitted to sending text messages to Nadia's friends and family while they were searching for her. In one disturbing message, Singh suggested allowing them to speak to Nadia in exchange for $100. Another message conveyed a chilling promise that they would not hear from her again.
The contents of these texts were obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News, adding a disturbing layer to the already complex and unsettling circumstances surrounding Nadia's tragic and mysterious death.
A Civil Verdict
In 2016, the Malik family took legal action against Bhupinder Singh, filing a wrongful death lawsuit accusing him of intentionally causing Nadia's demise by harming her and abandoning her in the car without identification, cell phone, or keys. In 2018, the Maliks secured a $10 million civil default judgment when Singh failed to appear in court. The judge, while rescinding Singh's parental rights, did not explicitly rule on the merits of the claim regarding his responsibility for Nadia's death, as reported by Vinny Vella in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Kevin Ryan, a private investigator volunteering for the Malik family, aims to reopen the case. He highlights the dual aspects of the situation – the civil victory for the family and the pending criminal side, emphasizing the need for the right medical examiner and investigators to scrutinize the circumstances anew. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health maintains that the case is closed, citing the absence of new information or evidence necessitating a reopening.
At one juncture, the Malik family enlisted a forensic expert who deemed Nadia's death "extremely suspicious," possibly indicative of a homicide. Another expert in California expressed interest in reviewing the case file, but financial constraints deterred further exploration, according to Mona Malik.
Despite the obstacles, Ryan commends the Malik family for their unwavering perseverance in seeking justice for Nadia. The family's relentless pursuit is acknowledged by reporter Vella, who expresses a desire for answers. He points out that Bhupinder Singh is the key to unraveling the mystery, but Singh refuses to provide any explanation for Nadia's final hours.
Former investigator Williams underscores the importance of keeping the case in the media spotlight, hoping it might prompt someone with relevant information to come forward. To encourage cooperation, the Malik family has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in Nadia's death.
For those interested in contributing information, the family has established a "Justice for Nadia Malik" page on Facebook. The quest for justice continues, fueled by the family's determination and the hope that increased public attention will bring forth the crucial missing pieces to solve this tragic and mysterious case.
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