UPDATE 1/16/26:
An 8-year-old girl who was reported missing Thursday in the community of Coalmine on the Navajo Nation has been found dead.
A Turquoise Alert was issued for Maleeka “Mollie” Boone early Friday morning.
“To learn that this search has ended in loss is a pain beyond words," said Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren in a video released on social media Friday afternoon. "The loss of a child is one of the most painful tragedies a family and a nation can endure."
Nygren offered his condolences to Boone's relatives and the Coalmine community and requested for privacy for her family.
The Department of Public Safety canceled the alert Friday afternoon and the investigation into Boone’s death is ongoing.
Authorities didn’t release details on a cause of death or where her body was found.
Navajo police say Boone was last seen Thursday afternoon while playing in the Coalmine NHA housing area.
The search included agents, officers and deputies from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Flagstaff Police Department.
Those with information on the circumstances of Boone's disappearance or death are asked to contact the FBI at (800) 225-5324 or email tips.fbi.gov, or call the Navajo Police Department Tuba City District at 928-282-3111/3112.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Arizona Department of Public Safety issued a Turquoise Alert Friday for an 8-year-old girl missing from Coalmine on the Navajo Nation.
Authorities say Maleeka “Mollie” Boone was last seen playing in the Coalmine Navajo Housing Authority area between 4 and 6 p.m. Thursday.
Her family reported it’s out of character for the girl to be gone this long and is concerned for her welfare.
DPS describes Boone as a Native American girl, 4 feet 5 inches tall and 50 pounds, with brown eyes and long brown hair in French braids. She was last wearing a red jacket, blue jeans and cowboy boots.
A Turquoise Alert is issued when someone under 65 is missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances.
Anyone with information regarding Maleeka Boone or her whereabouts should contact the Navajo Police Department, Tuba City District, at 928-283-3111/3112.
