A Maryland girl who vanished in 2019 amid a bitter custody dispute remains missing more than seven years later, and renewed attention to her case has emerged following a series of controversial social media posts made by her mother.
Ailea Brown was 10 years old when she was reported missing from her Reisterstown, Maryland, home on May 25, 2019. Now 17, she has never been publicly located. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children continues to list her as a missing child under case number NCMC 1373076.
Her last known address was on Erin Russel Court in Reisterstown, and Baltimore County Police have maintained the case as an open missing persons investigation ever since.
Baltimore County authorities have previously stated there was no evidence suggesting a stranger abduction. According to the NCMEC listing, Ailea may be in the company of her mother, Alicia Brown, at the time of her disappearance.
A Custody Battle That Set the Stage
The circumstances leading up to Ailea’s disappearance were rooted in years of legal conflict between her parents. Her father, Durrell Williams, has spoken publicly about fighting for custody of his daughter through extensive court proceedings.
He says he was ultimately awarded full custody, and that Ailea went missing just before she was supposed to be returned to his care.
Williams has been vocal about his belief that his daughter’s location is not a mystery to everyone involved. “Her mom knows exactly where she is,” he has stated. “The only people that do not know where this child is are the police and myself.” His words have circulated widely online as the case regains public attention.
Before Ailea’s disappearance, Alicia Brown faced criminal charges stemming from a 2013 incident in which authorities alleged she left her then-4-year-old daughter unattended in a vehicle for approximately eight hours while visiting Maryland Live! Casino. That incident became part of the custody case that followed in subsequent years.
Social Media Posts Bring the Case Back Into the Spotlight
Seven years after Ailea vanished, her mother has found herself at the center of renewed public scrutiny, though for a separate reason. Alicia Brown recently made a series of social media posts in which she alleged abuse and claimed she is divorcing Atlanta radio personality Big Tigger.
The posts also included accusations about an alleged relationship between Big Tigger and his radio co-host. The two share a son born in 2025.
The posts drew widespread reactions online, with many commenters quickly connecting the story back to Ailea’s unresolved disappearance.
Several users expressed frustration that the missing child case had not received more sustained attention over the years. Others questioned how a mother with an open missing persons case involving her child could have remained out of the legal spotlight for so long.
As of this writing, Ailea Brown’s case remains unsolved. She would now be 17 years old. Baltimore County Police continue to seek any information related to her whereabouts and can be reached at 410-887-2222.
Tips can also be submitted through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or visiting missingkids.org.
