A few thoughts - sorry if these are repeats - been out of town, and haven't had a chance to read far back yet.
Yes, she's lost some of her baby look since the pic we're most familiar with, and she has a heck of a bruise, but maybe the pic was taken for proof of possible neglect or abuse?
Has it ever been suggested that someone who had crossed paths with the family might have conveniently abducted/had her abducted to a safe far away place because they thought she was being abused? Maybe not a family member, but someone somewhat familiar with Aliaya's immediate family?
Do we know if she was treated differently because she wasn't "daddy's" child?
Also, I had a friend growing up, and she always looked really sad in pics. She just had those soulful eyes, and she was a happy child. In photographs she looked so sad though.
Maybe I'm rationalizing/hoping that that precious baby wasn't as unhappy as pictures portray her...plus, due to the missing teeth, she might appear sadder. I had a cousin that knocked out two or three of her front teeth, and she didn't smile for days - but they replaced hers with temporaries to hold the space until permanent teeth came in too though.
Sighhhhhh
ullhair: