8-year-old whose body was found on tribal lands in Arizona was likely struck by vehicle, FBI says

TUBA CITY, Ariz. — An 8-year-old girl whose body was found on tribal lands in northern Arizona last month after she was reported missing was likely struck by a passing vehicle, the FBI said.

Maleeka “Mollie” Boone is believed to have been hit by a passing motorist when walking home after playing in her neighborhood on Jan. 15 in the Coalmine Canyon area about 240 miles (386 kilometers) north of Phoenix.

Investigators believe it is possible the driver of the vehicle may have struck Maleeka “Mollie” Boone without realizing it, the agency said.

Boone was the subject of a Turquoise Alert, an alert system for Native Americans who have gone missing.

The FBI declined to elaborate on the development that led investigators to conclude that the child was likely hit by a vehicle and say whether the driver in question has been identified.