In Waterville, Maine, a settlement was reached leading to the dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit regarding the disappearance of toddler Ayla Reynolds over a decade ago. Ayla’s mother, Trista Reynolds, concluded the civil lawsuit against the girl’s father, Justin DiPietro, along with his sister and mother last month. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but the criminal investigation remains ongoing.
Despite the civil settlement, the criminal investigation into Ayla’s disappearance continues to be active, with detectives diligently pursuing all leads, as stated by spokesperson Shannon Moss. Following a 911 call in December 2011 reporting Ayla missing from her bed, a large-scale search involving Waterville and state police, game wardens, and FBI agents was conducted. The young girl was declared legally dead by a judge in 2017.
Justin DiPietro has consistently professed his innocence, although investigators have expressed skepticism about his abduction claim, especially since his sister was present in the house on the night Ayla disappeared, and his mother owned the residence. Ayla, a 22-month-old with blond hair and blue eyes, went missing wearing pajamas with “daddy’s princess” printed on them, with one arm in a soft cast due to a fracture.
Following the announcement of the civil lawsuit in 2018, Trista Reynolds’ lawyers expressed their intent to uncover more details about the case through the legal process. Reynolds called for truth from Justin DiPietro, who was last known to be in California, emphasizing that he cannot evade the truth indefinitely. The DiPietros faced allegations of wrongful death, pain and suffering, and interference with a body, with Justin DiPietro also charged with neglecting his parental duty to protect his daughter. Thus far, there has been no response from his legal representative.
