Circumstances of Disappearance
Helsley and her sister were living with their father. When her sister returned from school, Raylene was nowhere to be found.
Helsley's father claims that he only left Helsley alone in their residence for approximately one hour during the day; when he came home, she had vanished.

Raymond Helsley, the father, was sentenced to the maximum sentence-- 10 years at hard labor for beating Raylene so hard he broke a wrench and a piece of plastic pipe. He was arrested after her sister told authorities she had seen the beating. Helsley said the body is approximately 1 1/2 miles from the trailer.