A kidnapping-related arrest in Georgia has brought renewed attention to the disappearance of Ailea Brown, a Maryland girl who has been missing since 2019.
In July 2026, authorities took her mother, Alicia Brown, into custody on a Baltimore County warrant connected to Ailea’s case. Police said investigators had recently developed new information that led to the charges, but stressed that Ailea herself remains missing.
Read More: What Happened To Ailea Brown? Inside The Missing Case & New Legal Developments
Ailea was 10 when she was last seen at her home in Reisterstown, Maryland, on May 25, 2019. Early in the investigation, Baltimore County Police said they had no reason to believe she had been taken by a stranger. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children continues to list Ailea as missing and states that she may be in the company of her mother. She is now 17 years old.
The case had already begun receiving new public attention before Alicia’s arrest because of her marriage to Atlanta radio personality Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan and a highly publicized domestic dispute between the couple. That attention eventually reached a disappearance that had received relatively little national coverage despite Ailea being missing for more than seven years.
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Ailea Brown Disappeared During A Custody Dispute
The circumstances surrounding Ailea’s disappearance were already complicated by a custody battle between her parents. Court records confirm that Alicia Brown and Ailea’s father, Durrell Williams, had been involved in custody proceedings for years. By 2019, Williams had reportedly been awarded full custody, and Ailea reportedly disappeared shortly before she was expected to be returned to his care.
Moreover, that dispute followed an earlier incident involving Alicia and her daughter. In 2014, Alicia reportedly pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment after authorities said she left then-4-year-old Ailea alone inside an SUV for more than eight hours while she was at Maryland Live! Casino. She was sentenced to three years, with all but five days suspended, and placed on supervised probation.
When Ailea disappeared, Baltimore County Police also said a white SUV had been seen near her Reisterstown home, and investigators had no reason to believe she had been taken by a stranger.
Alicia Brown’s Arrest Put Ailea’s Case Back In The Spotlight
A warrant led Georgia authorities to Alicia on July 6, 2026. Hart County deputies stopped her vehicle on Interstate 85 after receiving an alert that she was wanted in Maryland. Two children were inside the SUV and were found unharmed, but Baltimore County Police later confirmed that neither child was Ailea.
The arrest came during an already turbulent period in Alicia’s public life. Weeks earlier, she had accused her estranged husband, Big Tigger, of injuring her during a domestic dispute. He denied her allegations, and additional footage later circulated showing the couple struggling over a cellphone. Their dispute generated widespread coverage, and attention soon shifted toward Alicia’s history and Ailea’s disappearance.
Ailea’s father also began speaking publicly as interest in the case returned. In a June 2026 interview, he discussed the custody dispute and maintained that he believes his daughter is still alive, while raising questions about what happened after she disappeared.
Alicia has since challenged a separate Fulton County custody-interference arrest in federal court, alleging that the Georgia warrant used against her was invalid and noting that the charge was ultimately not prosecuted. That lawsuit concerns the Georgia custody matter, not the Maryland investigation into Ailea’s disappearance, which remains active.
Ailea Brown: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Ailea Brown stood at 4 feet 8 inches and weighed 85 pounds. She has a medium complexion, brown hair, and brown eyes.
Anyone with information about her whereabouts should contact the Baltimore County Police Department at 410-887-2222 or NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). The case no. is 1373076.
Please share this story about Ailea Brown to help raise awareness of her missing person case. She is our sister, and her life matters.
Case Number: NCIC No. 1373076
Agency: Baltimore County Police Department
Phone: 410-887-2222
Email:
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