Current:Home > Scams13-year-old walked away from his mom at Arizona car wash. A month later, he's still missing. -FundGuru
13-year-old walked away from his mom at Arizona car wash. A month later, he's still missing.
Rekubit Exchange View
Date:2025-04-09 07:50:05
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! (8)
Related
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- Northrop Grumman launch to ISS for resupply mission scrubbed due to weather
- Zendaya Surprises Tom Holland With Sweetest Gift for Final Romeo & Juliet Show
- Taylor Swift didn't 'give a warning sign' for this acoustic set song in Warsaw
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Recreational marijuana sales in Ohio can start Tuesday at nearly 100 locations
- Kesha claims she unknowingly performed at Lollapalooza with a real butcher knife
- The Bachelorette’s Andi Dorfman Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby With Husband Blaine Hart
- Bill Belichick's salary at North Carolina: School releases football coach's contract details
- Dueling Harris and Trump rallies in the same Atlanta arena showcase America’s deep divides
Ranking
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Olympic gymnastics highlights: Simone Biles wins silver, Jordan Chiles bronze on floor
- The Daily Money: A rout for stocks
- Am I too old to open a Roth IRA? Don't count yourself out just yet
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes Make Rare Appearance at 2024 Paris Olympics
- Olympic medals today: What is the medal count at 2024 Paris Games on Sunday?
- Washington, Virginia Tech lead biggest snubs in the college football preseason coaches poll
Recommendation
Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
Alabama man on work trip stops to buy $3 quick pick Powerball ticket, wins 6-figure jackpot
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif speaks out at Olympics: 'Refrain from bullying'
Spain vs. Morocco live updates: Score, highlights for Olympics men's soccer semifinals
'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
Does Noah Lyles have asthma? What to know of track star who won 100m gold at Paris Olympics
Sha'Carri Richardson gets silver but no storybook ending at Paris Olympics
USWNT roster, schedule for Paris Olympics: What to know about team headed into semifinals