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Police Tape Put Around Home Of Missing Maine Toddler

WATERVILLE, Maine (CBS) - Police say they have expanded their search of the home where a missing 20-month-old Maine toddler was last seen.

Shortly after noon Thursday, investigators put up crime scene tape outside Ayla Reynolds' house on Violette Avenue in Waterville.

"Why is there crime scene tape around his house? Why is it the garage that they were looking at for a whole day? Why?" said Ayla's mother Trista Reynolds.

Police insisted that even if the home looks like a crime scene, this is still a missing child case.

WBZ-TV's Lauren Leamanczyk reports.

"That is the last place Ayla was seen, so as you might expect, we're going to have a lot of attention to that house looking for any clues as to where she might be," said Chief Joseph Massey of the Waterville, Maine Police Department.

Ayla was last seen in her father's home December 16th.

A State Police Mobile Command Center is now parked there as well to help technicians at the scene.

Cadaver dogs are also searching an area in the woods near the Waterville airport.

At an afternoon news briefing, Waterville police chief Joseph Massey told reporters they are now following up to 200 leads in the case.  He did not elaborate as to why the search at the home was expanded Thursday.

Reynolds, who does not live in the house, told WBZ-TV she has yet to hear from police about the recent activity.

"My little girl is out there and I will see that beautiful smile and I am going to see her and talk to her and hug her and love her," said Reynolds.

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