An 8-year-old girl who went missing on the Navajo Nation was found dead Friday afternoon, less than a day after relatives reported she had disappeared while playing near her home, authorities said. Federal agents and Navajo investigators are leading the case and have released few details about how or where the child was found.
Officials identified the girl as Maleeka “Mollie” Boone. She was last seen around 6 p.m. Thursday in the Coalmine NHA housing area, about 17 miles southeast of Tuba City, according to preliminary information from local authorities. A Turquoise Alert was issued early Friday morning and shared across northern Arizona as search teams canvassed roads, open land and neighborhoods. By Friday afternoon, investigators confirmed Boone was dead. Navajo Nation leaders offered condolences to the family and urged patience as detectives work through early evidence. The case is now a combined effort by the FBI Phoenix Field Office and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Navajo Police Department.
Relatives reported Boone missing Thursday evening after she failed to return home at dusk, and neighbors joined an initial search around Cedar Loop and nearby streets, according to police summaries. Officers set up a command point before midnight and coordinated with volunteer groups at daybreak. The alert distributed Boone’s name, age and a brief description, and it asked residents to check yards, sheds and outbuildings. By midday Friday, additional federal resources arrived to support mapping and evidence collection. President Buu Nygren called the news devastating for the Nation and for families who had been following the search, saying the government would support the investigation and the community. Authorities did not immediately release information about a suspected cause of death or whether there were signs of foul play.
Investigators have not said whether Boone’s remains were found in the housing area or in open land beyond it. The FBI said agents are processing evidence and reviewing timelines developed from interviews, call logs and search-grid notes. The Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation is gathering statements from family members, neighbors and search volunteers who were present Thursday night and Friday morning. Detectives have not announced any arrests. Officials said they are also seeking doorbell video, community surveillance footage and any photographs captured during the search that may help establish movements in the hours before Boone was reported missing. The medical examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine cause and manner of death. The time for that examination was not released.
The Coalmine area is a cluster of single-family homes and community buildings southeast of Tuba City on the western side of the Nation. The landscape is a mix of paved roads, dirt spurs and open desert, with ravines and brush that can complicate ground searches. In recent years, Navajo communities have used Turquoise Alerts to circulate urgent bulletins for missing Indigenous people. The system, adopted in Arizona to address gaps identified by tribal leaders and law enforcement, pushes rapid notifications through newsrooms and state channels. Community members say it has helped mobilize searches quickly, especially overnight. Friday’s outcome renewed concern about the broader crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people that has driven policy changes and new coordination among tribal, state and federal agencies.
Authorities noted that early casework centers on building a complete timeline from Thursday evening to Friday afternoon. That includes mapping the last confirmed sighting of Boone around 6 p.m., identifying who spoke with her last, and checking for any vehicles or unfamiliar people reported in the area. Investigators are reviewing recent calls for service, prior reports in the neighborhood and any relevant probation or protection orders that could intersect with the case. They are also working to preserve searcher tracks and radio logs so that forensic teams can separate rescue activity from potential evidence. Officials did not list any specific persons of interest as of late Friday. They also did not detail whether phones or other digital devices might assist in location or contact tracing.
Records show multiagency investigations on the Nation often move in phases. In the first days, local police secure scenes and conduct canvasses while federal partners coordinate specialized resources such as drones, mapping and laboratory analysis. Autopsy results typically provide early guidance on trauma, toxicology and estimated time of death. If a criminal offense is suspected, prosecutors weigh federal jurisdiction and potential charges tied to major crimes statutes. If the death appears accidental or due to exposure, investigators still document conditions, weather, and hazards, and they finalize findings in written reports. Friday’s statements indicated only that the case is active and that agencies are working together. Officials emphasized that verified details will be released when they are confident the information will not compromise the investigation.
Community response was immediate. In messages shared Friday, residents described search lines moving through fields and arroyos after sunrise, while others checked vehicles and trash receptacles along neighborhood routes. A woman who lives near Cedar Loop said people prayed together as they gathered at the edge of the housing area. Another neighbor, who gave only a first name, said patrols increased through the night and that marked units remained visible into the afternoon. Navajo Division of Public Safety employees coordinated with volunteers to provide water and keep the search zone organized. After the confirmation of Boone’s death, community members left small toys and flowers near a neighborhood sign and asked for privacy for the family.
Officials said investigative updates will be issued as laboratory work and interviews progress. The next steps include the autopsy, evidence processing and a formal review of findings by federal and tribal prosecutors. If authorities identify a suspect or determine that criminal activity occurred, they can seek a warrant through federal court or pursue a case through tribal channels depending on jurisdiction. If the death is ruled noncriminal, agencies will still publish a final report summarizing the response. No timeline was given for the release of additional information. Agencies said they will continue coordinating resources for the family in the coming days.
As of Friday evening, investigators had not released a cause of death or any information about a suspect. Officials said the next milestone is the autopsy and the first formal update from investigators when preliminary results are available.
Author note: Last updated January 16, 2026.