The Lost Girls - Rennie Gibbs and Kaila Morris
- Garthia Elena Halbert
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Time is a monster. It steals from us – our hopes, dreams, aspirations … our youth.
It degrades – land, books, evidence.
Robert Triplett Jr. is a monster – a consumer of child pornography. But is he also a murderer?
Rennie Gibbs was accused of being a monster – charged with the killing of her unborn child under the state of Mississippi’s depraved-heart murder law. She was exonerated in 2014, eight years after the fact. But the state put her behind bars eventually, on assault and drug charges – lost to the system.
Where is Kaila Morris? A question her mother, Bonnie, has been asking since Sept. 21, 2009. Did the doting step-daughter of Robert “Butch” Triplett fall victim to his hand? Only he, she and God know. Triplett is in prison for the rest of his life on child pornography and assault charges. Kaila Morris has disappeared without a trace – lost to the world.
Rennie Gibbs and Kaila Morris’s stories may be distinctly different, but they are amongst many lost girls – Rennie lost in a sea of past legal woes that stripped her of valuable time with her living children, and Kaila quite literally lost.
The district attorney charged Rennie Gibbs with murder at age 16, claiming she ingested cocaine with callous disregard to the unborn life she held inside her. The baby was stillborn a month premature. Rennie has said the death – and multiple other miscarriages she suffered to bring three children into the world – was due to a hormonal deficiency in her uterus.
Years later, the state finally sent Rennie Gibbs upstate in a years-long bid to put her behind bars. Her past remains marred with charges of drugs and violence.
Kaila Morris was 21 when she disappeared, purportedly traveling from her Lowndes County home to visit a friend in Alabama. She never arrived at her friend’s house.
Kaila and her stepfather were close, some thought uncomfortably so. During the investigation, it was reported to local police Robert Triplett would give his step-daughter topless back massages and that they spent a lot of time alone together.
He also was charged with sex crimes in Louisiana and Jackson County, Miss., where he had been on probation for attempted sexual battery. Robert Triplett has never been tried for the murder of Kaila Morris, but at age 73, he still faces 34 more years of a 50-year prison sentence. Her case remains unsolved and has grown cold.
Who are Rennie Gibbs and Kaila Morris?
Rennie Gibbs - a young mother once prosecuted for the death of her stillborn child.
Kaila Morris - a loving daughter and friend who worked at The Cookie Store in Columbus, Miss.'s Leigh Mall and attended Mississippi State University.
The Kaila Morris Investigation So Far
Law enforcement agencies launched an immediate search after Kaila Morris was reported missing. The investigation included:
Search parties combing nearby wooded areas and fields.
Interviews with friends, family and possible witnesses.
Review of surveillance footage from local businesses and traffic cameras.
Community Impact and Response
The Kaila Morris disappearance deeply affected the community. Search efforts brought people together, showing strong support for the families.
How You Can Help
Organize volunteer search groups.
Create online forums to share information.
Pressure authorities to keep the case active.
Share information on social media to keep the case visible.
Report any suspicious activity or tips to local law enforcement.
Support organizations that assist families of missing persons.
Advances in Technology
New technologies offer hope for solving cold cases. Tools such as:
DNA analysis that can identify remains or link evidence.
Geospatial mapping to analyze search areas more effectively.
Social media campaigns to reach wider audiences quickly.