A wrongful death settlement doesn’t end an investigation into a toddler’s disappearance

WATERVILLE, Maine — A settlement that led to the dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit has not yet completed a criminal investigation into the disappearance of a toddler from her father’s Maine home, where blood was found more than a decade ago.

Trista Reynolds, the mother of Ayla Reynolds, reached a settlement last month that ended her civil lawsuit against the girl’s father, Justin DiPietro, and his sister and mother. Terms were not disclosed.

But that doesn’t change the status of the criminal investigation. “The investigation is still active and detectives are continuing to follow up on all possible leads,” spokeswoman Shannon Moss said Tuesday.

A 911 call in December 2011 alerted police that Ayla was not in her bed, sparking what would become the state’s largest and most expensive criminal investigation. The disappearance prompted a massive search by Waterville, Maine, and state police, game wardens and FBI agents who combed neighborhoods and drained several streams. A judge declared her legally died in 2017.

Justin DiPietro has maintained his innocence, but investigators have cast doubt on his claim that she was abducted. His sister was with him the night she disappeared. His mother owned the house.

When she disappeared, the 22-month-old blonde-haired, blue-eyed toddler was wearing pajamas with the words “daddy’s princess” emblazoned across the front. One of her arms was broken and in a soft cast.

When the civil lawsuit was announced in 2018, attorneys for Trista Reynolds said part of the goal was to learn more details about the case during the trial. Reynolds told a news conference that Justin DiPietro, whose last known location was California, needed to tell the truth. “You can’t hide from this forever,” she said at the time.

The three DiPietros were charged with wrongful death, pain and suffering, and interference with a body. Justin DiPietro was also charged with breaching his parental duty to protect his daughter. His attorney did not respond to messages.