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ALIAYAH ANNIVERSARY
Five Months Since Toddler's Disappearance

Reported by: Send eMail Leslie Rubin
Videographer: Leslie Rubin
Web Producer: Leslie Rubin
Reported: Feb. 24, 2012 9:26 PM EST
Updated: Feb. 24, 2012 10:13 PM EST

EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO
C L I C K   T O   P L A Y
Weston , Lewis County , West Virginia

Five months later, and still no sign of missing Aliayah Lunsford.

PPP Recovery, a national search and recovery team, has the led the renewed search for several weeks.

Now, an ex-law enforcement officer who specializes in missing person's cases is convinced Aliayah's mother and step-father know what happened to the 3-year-old.

"Did you or your husband have anything to do with her disappearance?" asks reporter Leslie Rubin as Lena Lunsford went to a court hearing in December 2011.

She refused to speak to the media then, but Lena Lunsford reportedly has since talked to Joe Nick. Known as "The Bloodhound," Nick has aided in the search for hundreds of missing people, solving all but one case, hoping Aliayah doesn't become his second.

"The answers lie in the home. The answers lie within those two adults. The answer is with Lena and Ralph," Nick told Eyewitness News.

Nick says he's been briefed on the case by lead investigators. He volunteers his time to PPP Recovery and has joined forces with a group dubbed "Aliayah's Army." They're made up of community members, and family. They're all volunteers with only one mission.

"We're not going anywhere, we're not giving up. Not for a day," says Aliayah's great-aunt Vickie Bowen.

Since the command center opened at the Eagle's Club in Weston, more than 600 tips have flooded in. Nick says the scenario of a random abduction is one tip they've never received.

"Could it happen, absolutely. Have I seen it happen? Never in my career," says Nick.

"You've never told us anything about Aliayah's disappearance and many fingers have been pointed at you, so what do you have to say about that?" Rubin asked Ralph Lunsford at the same court hearing back in December.

"No comment," he responded.

Nick says he's also spoken to Ralph Lunsford, who has reportedly failed several polygraphs, along with Lena.

"When one of these two steps forward and tells the answer then the story will come out. But remember, I am sure the story will come out if they don't," says Nick. "Maybe it's going to be another month. Maybe, or maybe, it will be tomorrow."

The command center is still asking for volunteers to aid in the search, and asking for donations to keep it open. They're in need of food, and office supplies, as well as monetary donations.

You can make checks payable to:
Aliayah's Army of Searchers
Please mail them to: Citizens Bank of Weston
c/o Lisa Wilson
201 Main Avenue
Weston, WV 26452



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