This year, one too many Black Americans have been found hanging from trees under circumstances that have raised questions within the Black community.

Each case left those online dissatisfied with the reported suicides. And it’s prompted some Black individuals to believe these deaths may be cover-ups for modern-day lynchings.

Truthfully, the reported incidents are difficult to make sense of. And by knowing the horrific history between lynching and African Americans, it’s hard to believe any Black person today would end their life in such a historically charged manner.

These recent incidents involve people who were living ordinary lives — attending church, raising children, and even moving to a new city. Yet without any clear explanation, each were found hanging from a tree, with their deaths quickly reported as suicides.

For example, in June 27-year-old To’Nea Miller was found hanging from a tree in Miami just 4 months after restarting her life in Florida. Days later her death was ruled self-inflicted.

To’Nea’s sister, Teri Miller, made a public statement asserting that her sister was not suicidal.

“If anybody knew my sister To’Nea Nicole, that’s the last thing she would do. She loved life too much,” Teri Miller said.

Against popular belief, it spread online that To’Nea was visiting Miami to celebrate Juneteenth. However, Teri clarified that To’Nea had been in Miami since February. Even so, this corrected detail does not explain how unlikely someone is to commit suicide only months after moving out to a vibrant city like Miami.

Another questionable incident revolves around 16-year-old churchgoer Juliana Umba Nzita. In May, after being missing for several days, Juliana was found hanging from a tree in Charlotte, North Carolina. And after just three days, her incident was concluded as a suicide and her case was closed by the fourth day.

This was all suspiciously concluded without interviewing the witness who discovered her, never finding her lost cellphone, and not performing an autopsy.

It was later reported by Juliana’s family that she struggled with mental health. But they too still questioned Juliana’s supposed suicide and did not fully trust authorities. The same idea was backed by her fellow churchgoers and even the witness who found her.

Lastly and most recently, earlier this month Tasia Fortune was found hanging behind an abandoned house in Jackson, Mississippi. 

Again, those that knew Tasia commented on her likeness saying that they do not believe Tasia would end her life.

Tasia’s mother, Christy Spivey, advocated for Tasia stating that she was sure that Tasia would not harm herself, especially as a mother of four.

“She did not do this to herself … I know my daughter,” Christy said.

The concern surrounding the deaths of these Black Americans does not stop with cases involving hanging. Other deaths have also raised questions about whether enough attention is being given to these suspicious incidents.

For example, 18-year-old Nolan Wells remains one of the most infamous deaths in the Black community this year. His reported drowning immediately drew concern as it was found that Nolan attended a predominantly white boat party, and his white friends left him behind on a secluded island. 

So far, a total of seven Black Americans were found hanging this year. And while each case is different, the shared confusion around their deaths make this pattern difficult to ignore.

A suicide ruling should not automatically end the conversation when serious questions remain about the circumstances surrounding a potential lynching. Considering the painful history of lynching in America, these cases deserve thorough investigation and transparency, not conclusions that leave families and communities wondering whether the full story has actually been uncovered.