Current:Home > Markets13-year-old walked away from his mom at Arizona car wash. A month later, he's still missing. -Infinite Edge Learning
13-year-old walked away from his mom at Arizona car wash. A month later, he's still missing.
EchoSense Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-08 08:13:47
It has been over a month since a 13-year-old boy walked away from his mom at an Arizona car wash as local authorities continue a fervent search for the missing teen who has little familiarity with the area.
Elijah Gumbus has been missing since Aug. 31 and surveillance footage from the Weiss Guys Car Wash in Maricopa County, which USA TODAY obtained, shows the moments leading up to his disappearance. The boy, who is wearing a red shirt in the video, is seen hopping out of his mother's car and jogging west.
Elijah's mother can be heard in the footage calling out his name multiple times before the video cuts off.
“There's a lot of areas there that he could have either met with somebody or taken off or hid or something like that, but at the moment, that's the only information that we had and the only surveillance that we had in the area that was able to pick him up in a direction of travel," Tolleson police Lt. Lee Garrett told KPNX.
USA TODAY contacted Tolleson police on Wednesday but has not yet received a response.
'We're extremely concerned'
As the search continues for Elijah, Garrett said the department has a "detective that is 100% dedicated to just this case at this point," KPNX reported.
“We're extremely concerned," the lieutenant said. "We're very involved."
At the time of Elijah's disappearance, his mother was driving from California to Louisiana for her work, according to Garrett, per the Arizona-based TV station. The mother and son stopped at the car wash, and while she was cleaning the vehicle, Elijah jogged away, the lieutenant said.
Neither Elijah nor his mother have ties to Arizona, which makes this case even more problematic and worrisome, Garrett told KPNX. There have been custody issues between Elijah's father and mother, but neither live in Arizona, and police have confirmed that the child is not with either of them, the TV station reported.
“What's most concerning is his age and the fact that he doesn't have ties to Arizona or any family here. We don't know how he would have connected with somebody here, or if he just simply ran away,” according to Garrett. “He's not a very big kid, so he's somebody that would stand out. He's got a very young face. So we're hoping that somebody will see this and realize that if he's on the streets, or if he's with somebody he shouldn't then they will call 911 immediately.”
Anyone with information about Elijah's whereabouts can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or Tolleson police at 1-623-936-7186.
veryGood! (97)
Related
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Body of climber recovered after 1,000-foot fatal fall on Alaska peak
- 2024 Kentucky Derby post positions set: Here's where each horse landed
- PCE inflation accelerates in March. What it means for Fed rate cuts
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- Survivor Season One Star Sonja Christopher Dead at 87
- NFL draft picks 2024: Live tracker, updates on final four rounds
- Zillow to parents after 'Bluey' episode 'The Sign': Moving 'might just be a good thing'
- Meta donates $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund
- Eric Church transforms hardship into harmony at new Nashville hotspot where he hosts his residency
Ranking
- How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
- Can a new dream city solve California’s affordable housing problem? | The Excerpt
- A Hawaii military family avoids tap water at home. They’re among those suing over 2021 jet fuel leak
- No HBCU players picked in 2024 NFL draft, marking second shutout in four years
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- News anchor Poppy Harlow announces departure from CNN
- Police in Tennessee fatally shot man after he shot a woman in the face. She is expected to survive
- Living with a criminal record: When does the sentence end? | The Excerpt
Recommendation
Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
24 years ago, an officer was dispatched to an abandoned baby. Decades later, he finally learned that baby's surprising identity.
Banana Republic Factory’s Spring Sale Is Here With up to 70% off Colorful Spring Staples & More
Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. says Kirk Cousins reached out after surprise pick: 'Amazing guy'
Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. says Kirk Cousins reached out after surprise pick: 'Amazing guy'
LeBron scores 30, and the Lakers avoid 1st-round elimination with a 119-108 win over champion Denver
We're not the sex police: Here's what intimacy coordinators actually do on film and TV sets