Authorities Wednesday sought the public’s help to find a 7-year-old boy who went missing overnight from his Arlington Heights home.
Derek Clay was last seen about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the courtyard of an apartment complex in the 1100 block of Crenshaw Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The boy is Black, 5 feet tall, weighs 130 pounds, and has short black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray T-shirt, a gray sweater, dark pants and blue sneakers.
The boy’s grandfather, Donald Lewis, told reporters he has had custody of Derek since October, and he also takes care of the boy’s older brother. Lewis said Derek’s mother has visitation rights under supervision, KTLA5 reported.
Lewis said it is not like Derek to be away from home so long.
“He always comes home,” Lewis said. “He eats a lot. He’s hungry.”
According to the grandfather, Derek often goes to visit friends, but he always returns home. He called police around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when the boy still had not returned.
Lewis said he called the boy’s cell phone and somebody answered, but quickly hung up. The phone now goes directly to voicemail, he said. He said he was still trying to reach the boy’s mother.
“If someone has him, let him go,” Lewis said. “Let him find his way home.”
Police have been canvassing the neighborhood, even using bloodhounds to assist in the search.
An LAPD representative said foul play was not suspected in the boy’s disappearance.
Anyone knowing his whereabouts was urged to call 877-LAPD-247, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.