Aliayah Lunsford

Aliayah Paige Lunsford was a bright-eyed, brown-haired 3-year-old when she was reported missing from her home in Weston, West Virginia, on September 24, 2011. Her mother, Lena Lunsford, claimed she last saw Aliayah asleep in bed around 6:30 a.m. However, when she checked again at 9:00 a.m., the child was gone. Lena waited until 11:30 a.m. to report her daughter missing, stating she had spent the intervening time searching for her.

An extensive search ensued, involving local, state, and federal authorities, but no trace of Aliayah was found. The case remained unsolved for several years, casting a shadow over the community and leaving many questions unanswered.

In 2016, a significant development occurred when two of Lena's daughters, who were 9 and 11 years old at the time of Aliayah's disappearance, came forward with critical information. They testified that on the evening of September 23, 2011, Lena struck Aliayah in the head with a wooden bed slat as a form of punishment. The following morning, realizing that Aliayah was unresponsive, Lena placed her body in a laundry basket and disposed of it in a wooded area of Lewis County. She then instructed her daughters to keep the incident a secret.

Based on this testimony, Lena Lunsford was arrested and charged with murder and other related offenses. In April 2018, she was convicted and subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole . Despite the conviction, Aliayah's remains have never been found, and her exact resting place remains unknown.​

What You Can Do

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Aliayah Lunsford, please contact the Lewis County Sheriff's Office at (304) 269-8251 or the West Virginia State Police at (304) 269-0500.​

Aliayah is listed in the NamUs database under case number MP12461.​

Even after all these years, Aliayah's story matters. Any new information, no matter how small, could help bring long-awaited answers.​