Evansville, Ind. – The search for a missing 9-year-old girl has concluded with a tragic discovery, as authorities located her remains in a storage unit in Kentucky. This finding has prompted serious criminal charges against the girlfriend of the girl’s father, sparking an investigation that crosses state borders.
Chyanne Porter, 30, faces nine charges in Indiana, including neglect of a dependent and obstruction of justice, in connection with the death and concealment of Alianna Maya Gomez-Alvarez. These charges follow Porter’s earlier conviction in Kentucky related to the same case, after which she was transferred to Indiana law enforcement.
Alianna vanished from her Evansville home in late 2021, yet neither Porter nor her father, Jose Gomez-Alvarez, reported her missing for nearly a year. Concerns about the child arose in September 2022, when a tipster alerted authorities in Kentucky about Alianna’s extended absence.
An investigation led law enforcement to a self-storage facility in Owensboro, Kentucky, where they uncovered Alianna’s remains, carefully hidden in a plastic tote. This chilling discovery suggests a calculated effort to obscure details surrounding the child’s death.
Further investigations revealed a troubling family dynamic, with disparities in how Porter and Gomez-Alvarez cared for their children. Reports indicate that the couple provided better care and more resources to their biological children while allegedly neglecting the father’s three children from a prior relationship. Statements from surviving siblings depict a disturbing atmosphere of abuse and deprivation, with one sibling recalling how Alianna became increasingly malnourished.
Following Alianna’s death, reports suggest that Porter and Gomez-Alvarez transferred her body from the family’s basement to the storage facility, treating the situation as if they were discarding household items. The two adults also face allegations of physical abuse against the remaining children, reportedly involving choking and starvation.
Porter’s prior conviction in Kentucky resulted in a seven-year sentence for charges including complicity in criminal abuse and evidence tampering. Gomez-Alvarez, 34, has pleaded guilty to similar charges in Kentucky, receiving a five-year prison sentence. No indications suggest he has been charged in Indiana thus far.
This week’s transfer of Porter to Vanderburgh County marks the start of her legal proceedings in Indiana. As of now, a trial date has not been established, and it is unclear whether she has filed a plea.
Authorities emphasize the complexity of cases involving missing children, especially when allegations of abuse span multiple jurisdictions. Investigators are continuing to explore the circumstances surrounding Alianna’s disappearance and the events that led to this heartbreaking outcome.