Missing 2nd grader

[Sarajmt]

Searchers for missing Ore. boy flooded with tips
By NIGEL DUARA Associated Press Writer The Associated Press

Monday, June 7, 2010 5:29 PM EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Twenty-two state, local and federal agencies are following up on more than 1,200 tips in the search for a 7-year-old Portland boy who has been missing for four days.

Kyron Horman disappeared from Skyline Elementary School on Friday. Multnomah County sheriff's deputies and volunteers have been searching the densely wooded area near the pastoral school since then.

On Monday morning, deputies and FBI agents posted about 40 yards from the school stopped approaching cars and asked passengers whether they were at the school Friday and had any information about Kyron.

Multnomah County sheriff's Capt. Jason Gates described the variety of tips as "leads that aren't as exciting, and other leads that are more prevalent."

"We need more," he said at a news conference Monday. "Every tip, no matter how insignificant you think it is, could be the one we need."

Kyron was last seen at Skyline Elementary about 9 a.m. Friday, shortly after the boy and his stepmother attended a science fair at the school. She last saw him walking down a hallway toward his second-grade classroom, wearing a "CSI" T-shirt and dark cargo pants.

A search began after classes let out and Kyron didn't come home on the bus. His stepmother called 911 about 3:45 p.m., and sheriff's deputies and K-9 units began a search of the school and the two-mile route to his home.

Authorities have not yet determined whether Kyron was kidnapped or just wandered off, but they're describing him as a "missing endangered child," and the FBI has joined the search.

Visitors to the school are assigned badges, but Portland Public School District spokesman Matt Shelby said it would have been difficult to assign a badge to each visitor among the friends and family members who attended the science fair Friday morning.

Authorities were reviewing photos and videos taken at the fair. The last photo of Kyron shows him smiling in front of his project on the red-eyed tree frog.

It was unclear whether Kyron was in class Friday or when anyone noticed he was missing because police have been reticent to disclose public details of the search. Shelby said authorities don't want to give out information that could contradict a potential witness's recollection, but the school has a good idea of when Kyron was reported absent.

"We don't want to cloud anyone's recollection," Shelby said. "We'll defer to the authorities."

An autodial system used to report absences in all Portland high schools and middle schools was not yet installed at Skyline Elementary, Shelby said. The system has been installed in 37 of the district's 57 schools.

Shelby said the system would have alerted a parent's primary phone number at about midday that his or her student was absent.

Kyron's parents didn't attend the news conference Monday, and Gates said they didn't want to comment to avoid interfering with the investigation.

Gates wouldn't describe the scope of the search, only saying it went beyond the school. A search helicopter hovered over the woods west of the school early Monday afternoon.

"Kyron, we're going to bring you home, buddy," Gates said as he struggled to control his emotions at the news conference. "Nothing is more important to your family, your friends or to us."

———

Tip line: 503-261-2847.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Original Article can be found at:
http://www.charter.net/news/read.php?id=16341216&ps=1011&cat=&cps=0&lang=en

[Sarajmt]

Ooooohhh!  That does sound suspicious.  Let us know whatever you hear.  I don't know why but when kids disappear, it does something to me.  I look at that cute little guy's picture and my heart melts.  I so hope he's ok.

[melimeli]

I am here in oregon but something stinks.. he lives with step mom and dad.  Step mom is who took him to school.. Real mom lives about 3 hours away.  No security cameras it was a rural school.  I work in an elementary school and we have no camera's.  The real mom is in town now but none of the parents have been on TV.. hmmm...  Anyway the police are pretty tight lipped I think they know more than they are letting on... Real fishy anyway.. I am betting it was step mom.. just a hunch

[Sarajmt]

I agree.  Bad guys are everywhere.  And they don't wear signs around their neck.  Did you notice if they mentioned security cameras in the school?  They are all over here.  Even elementary schools in order to tighten security.

This came as a result of a noncustodial parent removing a child from the playground.  No one noticed.  The noncustodial father killed the child and then himself.  He wanted to "punish" his ex-wife.  I just wish he hadn't killed himself before she had a chance to have 5 minutes alone in a room with him!  This occurred about 5 years ago.

[teko]

Unless it was not a stranger? Unfortunately bad people have been found in the midst of where children are, even church. I sure hope they find him and he just wandered off, but Im not thinking it will be that easy.

[Sarajmt]

I didn't read anything about any custody issues.  But I hope that if someone took him, it's someone who loves him.  I don't see a child who appears to be a bright happy child just wandering off during school hours.  That doesn't add up.

Begs the question, if someone took him from the school, how did they get in without going through the office or security?  I didn't always have to check in at the office but they knew me well.  I volunteered a lot in the classroom and as a tutor.  But how would a stranger go unnoticed ????  

[teko]

Something here stinks. I am betting someone has gotten to him. Otherwise he would have been found by now.

[Sarajmt]

This is very troubling that a child could disappear from school during school hours.  When my children were in elementary school, if I didn't call the school reporting their office, their teacher always called me sometime in the morning to make sure everything was OK.  We also got the automated call in the evening.

Pray hard that he is found safe and sound.