Leigh was last seen at her family's residence in the 100 block of Honey Locust Drive in Tupelo, Mississippi on August 27, 1992. Her mother, Vickie Felton, saw her before leaving for work at 7:35 a.m. Leigh planned to attend an open house at her school that day, and was waiting for her grandmother to come pick her up. It was the first time her mother had left her at home alone. There were heavy storms that day as Hurricane Andrew moved over the area, and Leigh's mother was concerned for her as a result. She tried to call Leigh twice, but got no response. Upon returning home, she found the garage door open and another door to the house was left unlocked. There was a blood trail leading from the hallway to the living room to the back door, and blood and hair stuck to a door frame. Leigh's reading glasses, shoes, some of her clothes, and a sleeping bag were missing. Despite interviewing several persons of interest, authorities have not identified who was responsible for Leigh’s disappearance.

In October 2024, Leigh was declared legally dead, her family having stated that no information has ever came to light to show that she was alive.