Loved ones remember Layla Santanello three years after disappearance

KINGSPORT — Family and friends gathered at Borden Park on Saturday evening for a vigil on the three-year anniversary of Layla Santanello's disappearance. Jennifer Santanello, Layla's mother, led the candlelight vigil and invited those in attendance to share their favorite stories about her daughter. Some shared memories of their own children being friends with Layla through school. Others talked about living with her or growing up alongside her. "One thing about Layla that stood out since the day I met her was her warm heart, because that's what made me fall in love with her," one attendee said. "She was so kind and so sweet and loving and silly and beautiful. And I watched her grow and I grew to love her as my own." Jennifer shared some of her family's favorite memories about Layla. She said Layla was very creative from a young age and had a big imagination. "I came home one night, and Layla's lamp was broken," she said. "So [her dad] says that he couldn't even get on to her because he heard the crash and he went into the room, and she looked up at him and she said, 'But Daddy, a pirate came through my window and a shark was chasing it and chased it right through my window and they got into this fight, and then the lamp broke.'" More solemnly, Jennifer reflected on how painful the past three years have been with very few answers. She said there will always be a part of her attached to Layla, and there will always be a part of Layla attached to her own daughter, Nova Grace. "Lord, first I want to start off by thanking you for the 20 years I got with my daughter," Jennifer said tearfully. "And if I should never get another, I will be forever grateful for the time I did get. I know that you know the truth about what happened that night. I know that you know exactly where she is, and that in your time, you will lead us to her." 'I can't let people forget' In an interview with the media before the vigil, Jennifer said keeping Layla's name out there is very important to her. "I can't let people forget what happened to her," she said. "I might not know exactly what happened to her, but she disappeared off the face of the planet one day, and that is important. I've seen too many people in this town in particular, just vanish, and you see a couple of news blurbs about it, and then they're just gone forever and nobody ever thinks about it again — I did not want that for my little girl, she deserves so much more." Jennifer said Layla had a "larger than life" personality, with a legacy that deserves to live on as long as possible. "She almost always had a joy about her, a comedic relief about her," Jennifer said. "She had no filter, so whatever came to her mind was coming out of her mouth, which could be very embarrassing as her mother. But aside from that, she burned very brightly, and just to think that someone took that away from us and from her little girl is heart-wrenching." The Kingsport Police Department shared new details on Layla's case Friday, saying current evidence points to Layla being dead. Jennifer said that information about the case being released to the public provides partial relief, since she has known that was the direction law enforcement was moving in for a while — but she hoped that something would change. "I will always hold that hope," she said. "Until they bring the physical evidence of my daughter no longer, then I will continue to hold on to that hope." While a volunteer search was planned to take place Saturday morning, storms rolling through the region postponed those efforts to another day. Jennifer said they will continue doing searches as long as they possibly can. She thanked the community for their ongoing support and turnout at the vigil. Jennifer also called out the group of people who are believed to have information on Layla's whereabouts who have not yet come forward. "If you are one of the few people who has a location on my little girl, you could end such an enormous amount of suffering by coming forward," she said. "Now I can't attest to what kind of deals might be in place for someone that comes forward, but I do have an $8,000 reward … I would be tremendously grateful to the person that came forward and gave us the answers that we need." Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Layla Santanello is encouraged to call Detective Cpl. William Clare directly at 423-343-9780 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's tip line at 1-800-TBI-FIND. To report tips anonymously, use the Kingsport Police Department's online "Citizen Feedback" form at kingsporttn.gov/city-services/police-department/contact-police/.