GRIMES COUNTY, Texas – The mother of 3-year-old Christopher Ramirez is pleading for help finding her son. The toddler has been missing for over 24 hours in Grimes County.
During a press conference Thursday, Araceli Nunez said she believes her son was kidnapped. At this point, Grimes County Sheriff Donald Sowell said there are no signs of foul play or abduction and they’re looking at all possibilities.
“I hope nobody abducted the child like the mother suspects. She feels her heart is broken,” Sowell said.
Hundreds of volunteers, police, fire, the FBI and rescue agencies are continuing to search for the little boy. On Thursday, Sowell said crews have canvassed 4.5 miles at least five times in search of the boy.
Sowell said he is optimistic about finding the toddler and says crews will expand the search if necessary.
“If we have intelligence and if it leads us that way, but right now we are focused on the immediate area. We are looking a day later and there is nothing that shows us at this point that there are signs of foul play or abduction.”
Sowell said crews also drained three bodies of water but didn’t find any clues of the boy.
Christopher was last seen wearing a bright green shirt, shorts and red mickey mouse shoes. Deputies with the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 10000 block of Deer Park Lane around 1:30 pm on Wednesday and started searching for the Ramirez.
The child’s family told deputies Christopher disappeared moments after returning home with his mother and grandmother -- the trio had been out running errands. As the women were unloading the car, the boy chased a puppy out of sight of the adults. When the puppy returned and the boy did not, the family and their neighbors began searching for him. After about 20 minutes with no luck, the family contacted the sheriff’s office for assistance.
Deputies, assisted by multiple K-9 units, responded and conducted a ground search through the evening and into the night. Several additional agencies and volunteer groups joined the search.
On Thursday morning, Grimes County Sheriff Sowell said they’re returning to “square one,” and are again canvassing the area for the child.
Sowell added that the search party has inspected several water tanks and reservoirs in the area. Deputies have also gathered and reviewed surveillance footage, and drones and helicopters have also been used to survey the area.
“Everything’s fitting in place but we have not found the boy,” Sowell said. “And that’s just the facts of it at this point.”
Anyone with information about the child’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office at 936-873-2151.