ELKINS, W.Va. — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the mother of a 3-year-old girl who vanished eight months ago this week to spend eight months behind bars for welfare fraud.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey ruled that Lena Lunsford must begin serving her sentence June 28. She'll also serve one year of probation and must repay the U.S. Department of Agriculture $522.82.
Lunsford, 29, pleaded guilty in January to selling $114 worth of credit on her food-stamp card for $50 cash. She'd been indicted on multiple counts in October, accused of swapping the benefits for cash five times in two months.
Her daughter Aliayah disappeared from their rented Lewis County home Sept. 24, 2011. Lena Lunsford told police the girl was in bed at 6:30 a.m. but was missing when she went to check on her a few hours later.
In late March, FBI supervisory agent John Hambrick said investigators have a working theory about what happened to the child, and it doesn't involve a break-in. But authorities have refused to say what they believe occurred or whether they think Aliayah is still alive.
They have made no arrests and named no suspects.
Lunsford says Aliayah was in bed at 6:30 a.m. but was gone when she checked on her a few hours later.
Asked about persons of interest, Hambrick said only: "It's a small universe."
Lena Lunsford's attorney says his client believes there is no way her daughter wandered off. He also said she has cooperated with investigators and "is convinced that no blood relative of Aliayah knows what has happened to her."
Lena Lunsford has filed for divorce from her husband, Ralph Keith Lunsford, since her daughter's disappearance and has been living at her mother's house.
U.S. Magistrate John Kaull ordered her to live apart from Ralph after he acknowledged buying and using synthetic drugs called bath salts.
___
Online:
W.Va. Fusion Center: http://1.usa.gov/GZqqG6