The FBI has joined the search for Jalayshia Alford as investigators examine video and electronic evidence from West Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Philadelphia police intensified their search for a missing 10-year-old girl this week, deploying dogs in West Philadelphia and working with the FBI as investigators try to determine what happened to Jalayshia “Malayshia” Alford after she was last seen Oct. 26.
Alford, who also goes by Malayshia or “May,” was last seen at about 7:30 a.m. Oct. 26 on the 500 block of North Simpson Street, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. More than a week later, authorities have disclosed few details about the circumstances of her disappearance, but officials say they are concerned for her safety. Pennsylvania State Police issued a Missing Endangered Person Advisory on Monday, saying Philadelphia police believe the child may be at special risk of harm or injury.
Police concentrated their search Monday around the North Simpson Street block where Alford lived. Action News reported that investigators were using cadaver dogs while searching the area for possible clues. Other local reports described officers going door to door, speaking with residents and seeking home surveillance video. Authorities have not announced that evidence of a death has been found, and the use of specialized dogs does not by itself establish what happened to the child.
The FBI has joined Philadelphia police in the investigation, Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore told The Philadelphia Inquirer. Vanore said investigators have recovered video showing Alford walking to and from school in the days before Oct. 26 but have not found footage showing her on the block after that point. Police are seeking additional video and electronic evidence as they work to establish a clearer timeline.
Vanore said the account of Alford’s whereabouts from adults in her life after she was last seen was unclear, increasing investigators’ concern as the search entered a second week. He said a large investigative team was working on the case, including homicide detectives with experience in digital forensics. The assignment of those detectives has not been described by police as confirmation that Alford is dead or that a homicide occurred.
Alford was in the care of a foster family at the time she disappeared, according to law enforcement sources cited by local news organizations. Police have said they have spoken with members of her family but have not publicly detailed what investigators learned from those conversations. Earlier in the search, Philadelphia police said investigators believed she might be staying with friends or relatives who did not know she had been reported missing.
Residents of North Simpson Street told local news outlets that the police presence increased as the investigation continued. Block captain Rhonda Wilson told CBS News Philadelphia that officers asked residents to review doorbell-camera footage and that she saw police dogs and officers searching around a home. Neighbors also described concern over learning that a child from the block had been missing for days.
Philadelphia police describe Alford as 4 feet, 11 inches tall and about 70 pounds. She was last reported wearing a blue school uniform that included a polo or button-up shirt, skirt, pullover and stockings, along with either Crocs or black sneakers. Police said she wears glasses.
As of Tuesday, authorities had not announced that Alford had been found or identified a suspect in connection with her disappearance. Police are continuing to seek information about her whereabouts while investigators review surveillance footage, electronic evidence and other potential leads. Information can be provided to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Southwest Detective Division.
Author note: Last updated November 3, 2026.