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'I Feel Helpless': Grandmother Of 2-Year-Old Nalani Johnson Speaks Out After Penn Hills Amber Alert

MONROEVILLE (KDKA) -- The family of the toddler who disappeared over the weekend in Penn Hills is doing whatever it can to find the missing little girl.

On Monday, the family of 2-year-old Nalani Johnson handed out flyers, which say "Missing" in bold letters and include a picture of the little girl.

An Ambert Alert was issued Saturday after Johnson went missing. She has not been found.

malani-johnson
Photo Credit: National Center For Missing and Exploited Children

At the FedEx in Monroeville on Monday, Taji Walsh -- Johnson's grandmother -- was busy getting flyers made, hoping it leads to finding her granddaughter.

"It's unbelievable," Walsh told KDKA. "This is a movie scene, and it's my reality right now. And it's surreal."

"I feel helpless and at a loss," Walsh added.

Walsh, her family and volunteers are focusing their search in the Delmont, Westmoreland County area.

"People would just go to the different local communities in that area, and look for her and pass out flyers to businesses and door to door," Walsh said.

This is near where police say Sharena Nancy allegedly handed the child over to another woman.

Nancy is behind bars after she is accused of driving off with Johnson on Saturday evening.

sharena-nancy
(Source: Allegheny County Jail)

The criminal complaint reads that Nancy told investigators the girl's father, Paul Johnson, sold Nalani to someone else for $10,000, and Nancy drove the girl "20 minutes from a gas station in Monroeville along Route 22."

Investigators say Nancy told detectives a woman standing beside a silver SUV with an out-of-state license plate allegedly flagged her down.

Walsh told KDKA her son doesn't know Nancy, who is an Uber driver, and claims the allegations she's made against her son are not true.

"If the police felt that (Paul Johnson) was any way involved, he wouldn't be walking freely," Walsh said. "He'd be locked up like she is."

The family said they are offering at $3,500 reward for information leading to Nalani's return.

tajiwalsh
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

Nancy had her arraignment Monday morning, and her bail was denied.

She must forfeit her passport, and her preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 16th.

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