Zion Foster Case: Text messages between defendant, victim's mom shown in court

'He says he panicked': What Jaylin Brazier did after Zion Foster died

Zion Foster disappeared in early January 2021 -- and her cousin later admitted that she died with him while they were smoking marijuana. Her mother testified that Jaylin Brazier offered to help search for the teen -- but denied he had been around her for weeks until he was being sentenced in Macomb County.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Among the evidence revealed to jurors during Jaylin Brazier's murder trial was text messages between the defendant and Zion Foster's mom.

In the days after the Eastpointe teen disappeared, Brazier texted Ciera Milton asking about the search for the 17-year-old, including sending images of where her last location was, frustrations over people asking him about Foster, and some of the stress the disappearance was having on him.

Milton would later learn Brazier was lying, telling the court she learned during his sentencing in Macomb County.

The mother of Foster testified on the first day of Brazier's trial in which Wayne County Prosecutors allege he was behind her disappearance on Jan. 4, 2022. In the 28 months since she went missing, Brazier's story has changed as to what he knew about Foster's whereabouts.

Zion Foster Case: Live trial coverage can be found here

He was previously convicted for lying to a police officer during the investigation.

Eventually, he would confess to putting Foster's body in a dumpster after she died while the two were together. He said he "reacted stupidly" when he lied to police during the investigation.

But in the days after she went missing, Brazier's story to Milton started with the inquiry into how often he and Foster spent time together.

"Once or twice a month at this point," Milton texted Brazier.

"That high key is annoying cuz why pull me into whatever she got going on," he replied.

"Cause I trust you. So why would I question it. SMH (shaking my head) I'm sad and angry," Milton texted back.

The texts were dated Jan. 5, a day after she didn't return home. Later in the conversation, he sent a photo of a map with a message that the address listed was where Foster's boyfriend said she was at the last time the two had spoken.

"I'm thinking she was with someone in the area and said she was with me cuz off location on iphone it would be believable."
"And maps on iPhone is on point as hell"
"I don't really wanna get involved but if you want me and my girl can go to the address and knock on the door."
"Would need a picture to show whoever open the door"

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Texts between Jaylin Brazier, Zion Foster's cousin, and Ciera Milton, her mom.

In a follow-up text message later that day, Brazier tells Milton he's getting "fed up" with messages asking if he had seen Foster or not.

"I'm telling you respectfully as my aunti that you at any point can cone (sic?) over we have cameras to so you that you can see with your own eyes that this girl was not over here," he said.

He added Foster's boyfriend had been in communication with him. Milton told Brazier she had filed a missing person's report and understood people that knew her were contacting everything they could think of while looking for Foster.

"Still haven't heard from my baby though," she said.

"I completely understand Auntie just got me and my girl stress and she's pregnant we got to much going on for this but I'm still all hands on deck if need be to help you. Love you gn."

During the last few questions for Milton, the prosecution inquired into what police had asked of her, including if she recognized any of Foster's belongings in certain photos as well as if she had had her nails done.

"At some point, did you go to a court proceeding in Macomb County Circuit Court?" Prosecutor Ryan Elsey asks. It was Brazier's sentencing after he was convicted of lying to police. During that hearing, Milton said she heard something different from what she had been told in the text messages.

"He said that they were smoking together. And that he looks over and she was just dead. And then he says he panicked," she told the court.