US mom arrested for killing her 3-yr-old daughter, pretending she was missing

Weston, West Virginia: Police authorities say a West Virginia girl missing since 2011, had died after her mother hit her in the head with a blunt object five years ago.

Identified as Aliayah Lunsford, the three-year-old went missing from her bed at her home in in Weston, West Virginia, in 2011.

Her mother Lena Lunsford, who had filed a missing complaint, told police officials that her daughter had been vomiting the night before.

However, investigators said in a criminal complaint that Lena herself killed her daughter and refused to let anyone help the 3-year-old. They also alleged that the mother of six refused to call in paramedics after hitting the child and even watched her die. She later hid the dead body and reported that her child was missing.

Lena, 34, was charged with death of a child by abuse. She did not enter a plea when she was arraigned Friday following her extradition from St Petersburg, Florida.

The accused's parental rights have been terminated by the West Virginia court and her six other children have been taken into custody.

Sheriff Adam Gissy says investigators believe the only one who knows the location of Aliayah Lunsford's body - the mother - is now in custody. He declined to answer further questions.

Court officials said a defence lawyer has not yet been assigned to the case.