Investigators searching for a missing 10-year-old girl who vanished from Philadelphia last week are worried she may be in danger.
Jalayshia “Malaysia” AlfordThe West Philadelphia resident was last seen around 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 26, according to a news alert issued by the Philadelphia Police Department on Monday, Nov. 2.
Jalayshia was in foster care at the time of her disappearance, and authorities are focusing on Jalayshia’s foster care home as part of an ongoing investigation involving the FBI, WPVI-TV reported.
Alford is described as being 6 feet tall, weighing approximately 70 pounds and wearing glasses.
Police said that at the time of her last known sighting, the woman was wearing blue clothing (specifically a blue polo or button-up shirt, a blue sweater, and blue socks) and Crocs or black sneakers.
Jalayshia’s family members told CBS News they became aware of her disappearance after her stepmother called her aunt and claimed Jalayshia had left to be with the girl’s biological mother, who did not have custody.
The aunt said the stepmother claimed she last saw Jalayshia walking alone towards the bus stop on the morning of October 26 before she disappeared.
FBI agents reportedly visited local residents on Tuesday, November 3, requesting surveillance footage from October 22 to 27 and asking if anyone had noticed any suspicious activity.
Philadelphia police fear Jalashia is potentially in danger Philadelphia Researcher.
According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, investigators found a video of Jalayshia walking to school and returning home a few days before October 26 Frank VanoreThe newspaper reported. Since then, researchers have been unable to find any recent images of him.
“I’m very worried. It’s been so long and she’s so young,” Vanore said of her disappearance.
The police chief added to the newspaper that homicide detectives were joining the search.
According to WPVI-TV, on Monday evening, police were searching outside a home using cadaver dogs in the 500 block of North Simpson Street, where Jalayshia lived.
The Philadelphia Police Department and FBI did not immediately respond to inquiries. We About possible updates as of Wednesday, November 4th.
Police asked for the public’s help in finding Jalayashi and encouraged anyone with information to contact detectives at 215-686-3183 or 215-686-3184.
“We were hanging posters of my grandson everywhere in Philly,” Jalayshia’s grandmother said Sylvia Brown he told CBS News. “I pray for my grandson to come home, and I pray for you to help us find him.”