It appears there were multiple witnesses and one has finally rolled over on the mom. How the f*** did they live with that for 5 years?? Good grief.
WESTON, WV (WCHS/WVAH) — Court records said missing child Aliayah Lunsford died five years ago in Lewis County after she was struck by her mother in the head with a solid, hand-held object.
Lena Marie Lunsford, 34, now of Clearwater, Fla., is charged with death of a child by a parent by child abuse, according to a criminal complaint filed in Lewis County Magistrate Court.
Lunsford was extradited back to West Virginia and arraigned Friday morning in Lewis County Magistrate Court. She was arrested Thursday in Pinellas County, Fla. Upshur County Magistrate Mike Coffman, appointed as a special magistrate case, set bond for Lunsford at $250,000 cash only. The West Virginia Regional Jail website had no listing for Lunsford on Friday morning.
The complaint said a witness in the case said Aliayah was struck intentionally by a solid hand-held object by Lena on Sept. 24, 2011. The witness said Aliayah fell to the ground and that Lena did not allow anyone to provide medical care or call authorities.
Within hours of the strike, Aliayah died from the injury, the complaint said.
The complaint said Lena then took steps to conceal the crime, including creating a fake story about the death, destroying evidence, concealing the body and telling witnesses to conceal the circumstances in the death.
During a news conference Friday morning in Lewis County, Lewis County Sheriff Adam Gissy called today a “somber,” but successful day with the arrest of Lunsford. He said it comes with great sadness that he had to announce that Aliayah is deceased.
“This investigation has been trying for all,” Gissy said.
The sheriff said the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department worked hand in hand with the West Virginia State Police and the FBI on the case the past five years until the one big break “came to fruition.” He thanked Florida authorities, particularly those in Pinellas County, where Lunsford was arrested. Gissy said the cooperation was vital in the investigation of the missing child’s death.
As far as where the child’s body is located, the sheriff said the one person who knows the whereabouts of Aliayah is now in custody.
Gissy took no questions from the media at the news conference, and he said more information would be released on the case at a later date.
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WESTON, WV (WCHS/WVAH) — Court records said missing child Aliayah Lunsford died five years ago in Lewis County after she was struck by her mother in the head with a solid, hand-held object.
Lena Marie Lunsford, 34, now of Clearwater, Fla., is charged with death of a child by a parent by child abuse, according to a criminal complaint filed in Lewis County Magistrate Court.
Lunsford was extradited back to West Virginia and arraigned Friday morning in Lewis County Magistrate Court. She was arrested Thursday in Pinellas County, Fla. Upshur County Magistrate Mike Coffman, appointed as a special magistrate case, set bond for Lunsford at $250,000 cash only. The West Virginia Regional Jail website had no listing for Lunsford on Friday morning.
The complaint said a witness in the case said Aliayah was struck intentionally by a solid hand-held object by Lena on Sept. 24, 2011. The witness said Aliayah fell to the ground and that Lena did not allow anyone to provide medical care or call authorities.
Within hours of the strike, Aliayah died from the injury, the complaint said.
The complaint said Lena then took steps to conceal the crime, including creating a fake story about the death, destroying evidence, concealing the body and telling witnesses to conceal the circumstances in the death.
During a news conference Friday morning in Lewis County, Lewis County Sheriff Adam Gissy called today a “somber,” but successful day with the arrest of Lunsford. He said it comes with great sadness that he had to announce that Aliayah is deceased.
“This investigation has been trying for all,” Gissy said.
The sheriff said the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department worked hand in hand with the West Virginia State Police and the FBI on the case the past five years until the one big break “came to fruition.” He thanked Florida authorities, particularly those in Pinellas County, where Lunsford was arrested. Gissy said the cooperation was vital in the investigation of the missing child’s death.
As far as where the child’s body is located, the sheriff said the one person who knows the whereabouts of Aliayah is now in custody.
Gissy took no questions from the media at the news conference, and he said more information would be released on the case at a later date.
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