It’s been more than three years since 20-month-old Ayla Reynolds vanished from her father’s home in Waterville, Maine.
"This is still active and ongoing," Public Safety Spokesperson Steve McCausland told NBC affiliate WCSH6. "This case is the largest criminal case in Maine history. We are as determined today as we were three years ago."
Ayla was reported missing by her father, Justin DiPietro, who called 911 the morning of December 17th, 2011, after he said Ayla was missing from her crib. "We still feel that those three adults in that home that night know more than they've told us, and our doors are always open to tell the full story," McCausland said.
Detectives found Ayla’s blood in the basement of DiPetro’s house, but he has never been named a suspect in the case. The toddler remains a missing person as police have never located a body. However, investigators have said they don’t believe Ayla is still alive. Ayla’s mother, Trista Reynolds, has insisted since the little girl vanished that DiPietro had something to do with it.
“Something terrible happened to Ayla that night, whether it was by accident or done on purpose,” Trista told WCSH6 in 2012. “But people need to be brought to justice.”
With another holiday season here, Trista says that she is still hopeful that police will find out what happened the night her daughter disappeared. “If she is out there somewhere and she sees me out on TV, mommy says Merry Christmas and I love her.”
The Facebook page ‘Find Ayla Reynolds’ has been liked more than 16,000 times since Ayla disappeared. Family members continue to update the page with other missing person cases as well as updates on Ayla’s case. The website Bring Ayla Home is also frequently updated.
If you have any information that could help crack this case, please call the Waterville Police Department at (207) 680-4700.