Given the usual flurry of confusion associated with the introduction of a new missing persons’ case, and involving a baby of 20 months no less, I began the arduous process (last night) of pulling apart a massive quantity of data (news articles, talk show clips, internet soundbites, etc.). Just in case I’m already contributing to this avalanche snowball of momentum-building chaos (the impending holidays are ganging up too), I’m referring to the case of Ayla Bell Reynolds in Waterville, Maine.
Bingo! I hit pay-dirt. Then I go over to the Google news stream for Ayla Reynolds to see what’s going on. The Morning Sentinel just posted a new piece (Police seize cars from Violette Ave home by Doug Harlow) with lots of new information about Ayla Reynolds, a 20-month-old baby who went missing, perhaps late on Friday. The baby was last seen with her father, Justin DiPietro, and this sighting was at his own house.
But with Maine State Police vehicles parked all around the house, the ordinariness goes away. Neighbors weigh in heavily with promising clues and some keen observations from Friday night. One neighbor heard a car arrive at the humble home on Friday night. A major observation was made by neighbor behind the Reynolds’ house, who heard a loud noise at 2:30 in the morning.
Investigative reporter, Michelle Sigona, got this exclusive scoop last night and revealed this important clue (a loud clanking noise) to Jane Velez Mitchell on her HLN Issues show. What was the source of this noise? A number of people were in the Reynold’s house last Friday night. Even non-family members were there. Someone must know something?
Dad says he put Ayla to bed at 8 PM and noticed she was gone the next morning. Then he calls the police. It’s been observed, in a small house such as this, you certainly would have heard something, if an intruder came into the home and abducted little Ayla. And then we have the problem of the child’s broken arm. Was it an accident or did the father intentionally injure the child? Both sides of the argument have been presented.
The situation with Ayla’s mother (Trista Reynolds) adds yet more confusion to the mix. Trista doesn’t want to have anything to do with the dad whatsoever. Moreover, Trista claims that several times, after the child was returned from Justin’s care, she had bruises on her. Trista herself has been in rehab for some kind of substance problem, I assume. A further twist, is that she was seeking sole custody of Ayla from the courts, right on the crisis day, last Friday (December 16th). Let’s backup once again, and see what we missed (with all the confusion surrounding us).
