WATERVILLE, Maine — The three-month anniversary of the disappearance of a toddler in Maine is passing quietly, but police say the investigation is continuing.
Ayla Reynolds was 20 months old when she was last seen on the night of Dec. 16. She was reported missing the following morning when her father said he discovered her bed empty.
Police are treating her disappearance as a crime, but no one has been charged.
Stephen McCausland of the Maine Department of Public Safety says investigators have received more than 970 leads, and detectives continue to conduct interviews. He says the crime lab is providing new evidence almost daily.
Ayla was living with her father, Justin DiPietro, in Waterville when she disappeared. Her mother, Trista Reynolds, lives in Portland.
We don’t know that they have enough evidence to arrest anyone. Just because the public is convinced that things happened a certain way, it doesn’t mean there’s enough evidence to prove it.
They have enough evidence, they are waiting on a few things to be returned. It will be soon enough
I hope that whatever evidence they have is enough to make whoever is involved scared enough to talk. Not only does the family need to know where she is, but the community (Waterville and beyond) wants answers too. I hope that whoever is involved gives up her location, in hopes of a lesser charge. I’m not hoping they get a lesser charge, just that they talk in hopes of getting one!
Yep. The clock is ticking on how long any of the 3 suspects remains free. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Sounds like you have your mind pretty well made up…….and hoping that the lack of evidence will protect a certain someone.
It you will notice, I’m not the one that wondered why the father had been arrested. I simply responded to a post by another person, saying that lack of evidence is why no action has been taken.
I didn’t say what I thought one way or another, I said the public. Not every member of the public thinks the same thing, though most of the people I’ve heard voice opinions have said the same thing. Again, notice I’m not saying that that opinion is, just that one opinion has been voiced by many.
I am still hoping that by some miracle, this little girl is alive and safe somewhere, that she will be found, and come home to a family that loves and wants her.
Don’t bother heshe just likes to twist post and antagonize,your posts are thoughtful and thought provoking.
Thank you for your kind words.
Ok, so I just reread what I wrote first, then what you wrote in reply. I’m in a cold medicine induced fog right now, so I didn’t catch on to what you said right away, as I’m not thinking clearly. The light bulb just went on, so I’m posting again. I think that my original reply to you is relevant, but I wanted to clear a couple of things up just the same-
I don’t know any of the players in this story- her mother, father, or anyone else. I have my opinion of what happened, and I know who I think is guilty. I’m not hoping that anyone will be protected by the evidence, or lack of.
I was just telling the original poster that while everyone is convinced they know what happened, without any, enough, or the return of specific evidence, the police’s hands are tied. I’m sure THEY are certain of what happened, but again, if they can’t prove it, then there’s not much they can do.
Yes, I have my mind made up. It will take a LOT to change my mind, but it’s not what you are thinking. I’ve never met any of the people involved. Therefore, I’m not hoping that lack of evidence will protect anyone. I just refrained from stating what I thought happened, and made my statement vague. I’m sorry if that made me look like I was trying to protect anyone.
You have nothing to apologize for. There were 3 adults in the house the night the poor baby disappeared. The odds that a stranger broke in are slim. The police would’ve said if they had reason to suspect that. And they didn’t. That puts the suspicion on the 3 adults in the house. And you were able to see that clearly, foggy or not.
Thanks, I appreciate that comment.
I am aware of the fact that lack of solid evidence is obviously the reason there have been no arrests. I’m just frustrated by the fact that it seems to be taking so damn long to get it is all.
I realize it’s frustrating, but it’s entirely possible that there wasn’t any evidence left behind to get. Some cases just don’t get solved. It sucks, but it happens.
I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here. I’m just saying that it happens. The police can’t fabricate what isn’t there.
This story is not that complicated. Somebody needs to be sitting in a jail cell tonight, I can’t imagine why that isn’t possible.
Just because to most people it’s obvious what happened, does not mean there’s enough concrete evidence to support it. Or, as someone else said, it hasn’t come back from the labs yet.
Real life isn’t like tv, where the tests are run in 10 minutes, and the entire case is wrapped up in an hour.
Yes, that’s how I feel too. For all the comments about having enough solid evidence, although that’s very true, I just can’t understand why it’s taking so long to get it! Absolutely there should be someone (or more than one person) sitting in a jail cell, and I hope that it won’t be much longer before that does happen.
People can get more information from the mother’s family at answersforayla dot com. According to the family they found more than a cup of Ayla’s blood in the basement of the father’s home.
I hope that justice is met swiftly. I check this website every day to see if there has been any break in this case. I truly hope that who ever knows the truth steps forward soon. This has gone on long enough. Ayla remains in my prayers every day and that will continue as long as I can see. I hope who ever is to blame in this gets exactly what’s coming to them. You are sick whom ever you are, sick, sick, sick. I hope you are sent to your eternal demise in due time. I am a christian man and I believe in forgiveness in the most outstanding way but there shall be no forgiveness for the responsible. Hurting children no matter how petty should be punished by death in the most horrific of fashions. Please Lord be with Ayla always as I know you are. My prayers are for her and all of you who feel hurt in any form by this most unfortunate event.
Would you prefer they arrest someone before they have every piece of evidence against the person, before they tie up all the loose ends, and then the person goes to trial and get’s a not guilty verdict? You must realize that if that happens, the person can NEVER be tried for the crime again, even if they are later found to be guilty either by more evidence findings or an admittance of guilt. I think I would rather they take their time and make sure they have everything they need to convict, before they make an arrest. Best to do it right the first time. I am completely certain that all investigators involved have thought the options through and are doing things the way they feel will bring the best outcome so that justice is fairly served.
That is what I have been saying all along. If all the evidence is circumstantial and the defendant(s) has a good lawyer, you get another Casey Anthony. It good trial lawyer knows how to plant doubt in the jury’s minds and if they have any doubt at all, they aren’t likely to return a guilty verdict.
I agree with everything, except for the fact that you called Jose Baez a good lawyer. He just had a decent stroke of luck and ended up with a jury of 12 people who didn’t understand what reasonable doubt meant.
I totally agree that he pulled that one out of thin air – I meant what a good lawyer could potentially do for whomever ends up being arrested in Ayla’s case.
Jose Baez is a doofus of the highest degree. The only thing that saved Casey Anthony was the fact that she had the stupidest jury in the world (with OJ Simpson’s jury coming in a close second).
Yes, I see what you’re saying, but it still seems to me that with all the obvious clues it’s taking a long time, but I do agree with you about forming an iron clad case. Yes I am aware of the possibility of a double jeopardy if the police can’t nail the murderer up against the wall with evidence. I’m just impatient for justice to be done for Ayla.
Remember the lie detector tests?
Did the mother ever actually take one? Last I read she had a “medical condition” that prevented her from taking it.
If I remember correctly the Dad passed, but the Mom had to quit while taking it for some reason. I may be wrong.
No one said the dad passed at all, the tests would not be revealed is what it said
As I said, I may be wrong. Why did they report that the mother had to quit, if no results were given?
The mother could not take it due to a medical condition, and believe me i am not defending her but i think she is innocent
I agree with you.
Yup, I sure do remember the lie detector tests. I remember that Justin didn’t want to discuss what the results were, and even went so far as to claim that he never got the results in the first place when the police said that they did indeed inform him of the results. His actions make it quite obvious (to me at least) that he didn’t pass the test.
The 3 people who know what happened to Ayla probably thought they’d go on with their lives as though she never existed. Wrong! The pressure on you is just starting. Nobody is going to forget about this child, least of all you 3. She will haunt you one way or another until one of you cracks and spills the beans. Talk now before your co-conspirators cut a deal. You know how to dial the police. Just pull out your phone and punch in 9-1-1. They’ll talk to you anytime. Day or night.
hey what is taking so long . didnt take long on the perdomo case
It’s all in the evidence found and information given by those involved.
The person who shot Perdomo finally admitted it, and gave enough info that the police were able to find the body. Nobody is talking in this case.
i know that. but the florida media was unrelenting in solving this case
That may be, but like PaulNotBunyan added- No comparison. A little child does not leave a trail of things like
rental car, cell phone records, credit card receipts to follow.
Comparing the two is like comparing apples to bananas- both are fruit, but that’s where the similarities end. Both in these cases are people, but that’s where the similarities in the cases end.
similar to the case in florida Casey Anthony. seems like this is a copycat of that. another florida nut
No comparison. A little child does not leave a trail of things like rental car, cell phone records, credit card receipts to follow.
I hope that this beautiful little baby does not become just another casualty or statistic. It saddens me to see time pass with little or no progress to report. If I were her parent I don’t know how much longer I could hang on without knowing anything, everyday waiting, hoping… I think I’d die of a broken heart.
I wish someone in that family would respect this little girl and be an advocate for her. She was an innocent victim. Your adult family members are adults who had choices- she had none. Why do families forget this when things go bad? Who looks out for these babies?
Maybe they should call in a psychic. You never know………..
I still belive DHHS CPS holds the key that will be the lead that will bring the girl or her body home. Like always they are covering thier tush rather than doing the right thing. It’s the broken arm and the statment of the father “you might think your doing the right thing. taking her from what you think is an abusive home.” There’s a lot of signs in that. court records and film would help. I belive the cops have the film. time for them to get the records which by law they have the right to request but the court doesn’t have to give it too them. If CPS HAD to work with the DA this case would already be over. sad all around.
It was not Dennis Dechaine.
but police say the investigation is continuing.
Really? Why hasnt any information been sent out to the media? Why has the attention towards finding this little girl basically gone completely cold. Why havnt the police arrested SOMEONE, that was at that house that night. Circumstantial or not, do they not have ANY evidence from the ammount of time they have spent on this or not? I know this, i am glad i dont have any small children and have to count on the wonderous efforts of the Maine Police to help me find them if they were to go missing.
If Ayla were my daughter I would be outraged with the poor performance from the police department! I feel that someone screwed up very badly in the beginning with this case and I would have given up on the police and hired a well known private investigator long ago! It is apparent that the police waited too long in the beginning to bring in the necessary resources and have no clue how to solve this case!
Some people like to know why the Father hasn’t returned the house where his daughter disappeared from ? what really had happened that none of us really ?
Where is she, Justin?????
I wish I was psychic too so I could “know” that the dad or uncle or girlfriend was behind it.
Is this going to be another Caylee Anthony case, where it takes enforcement so long so see what’s right in front of them?