Fears are mounting after a New York father of a 4-year-old girl went missing earlier this month, as police reportedly believe the man may have been murdered.

According to the New York Post, 40-year-old Michael “Mikey” Stewart hasn’t been heard from since December 21, when he sent his mother a chilling text.

“Please help me Mom,” Stewart, of Staten Island, wrote in a text message just before 2 a.m., his aunt reportedly told the newspaper.

The father of one was apparently last spotted at about 6:30 p.m. on December 21 at O’Neill’s Irish Pub, located on Forest Avenue in his hometown. Sources reportedly told the New York Post that upon exiting the bar, Stewart was seen “on surveillance footage arguing with two men outside a nearby barbershop.”

The man’s aunt said officials were initially treating the man’s disappearance as a “missing-persons case,” but are now calling it “a suspected homicide.”

“Detectives are telling us he was hurt,” she said.

The woman said Stewart’s young daughter is having a hard time understanding and coming to grips with her father being gone.

“He loves his daughter. She’s been crying every night for him. She’s starting to see that something’s wrong,” she said.

Stewart stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighs around 170 to 175 pounds, according to a missing persons flier circulating via Facebook.

At the time of his disappearance, it is believed he wore “a green shirt, Olive/army colored jacket, light denim jeans, white sneakers, and a black or dark blue scully hat.” The missing man has a tattoo on the right side of his neck, and a scar on the left side of his face.

Anyone with information pertaining to the case is urged to contact 121 Detective Squad Det. Alexis Castillo at 718-697-8712.

[Feature Photo: Michael “Mikey” Stewart/Facebook]