Authorities are still searching for a 3-year-old North Carolina boy who disappeared on Tuesday, while reportedly outside playing with other children in his grandmother’s yard. The grandmother’s 911 call, made around 45 minutes after Casey Hathaway disappeared, was released on Thursday.
911: Craven County 911
Grandmother: 200 Toler Road – Ernul
911: 200 Toler Road?
[Redacted]
911: OK, and what’s going on there?
Grandmother: We’ve lost my 2-year-old grandson. He walked in the woods back there and we can’t find him….. 3-year-old grandson
911: OK, so who is there with him?
Grandmother: His little sister.
911: Are you saying he’s a 3-year-old?
Grandmother: Yeah he’s three. The girls come to the house and left him there, and he’s walked off somewhere and we can’t find him.
911: But you’re not there at the house now?
Grandmother: I’m at the house, yeah.
911: OK, and how long ago do you know he walked in there?
Grandmother: It’s been at least 45 minutes, cause we’ve been looking all up in the woods for him.
911: And it’s behind your house? Is it directly behind your house?
Grandmother: Yeah, well on the side, yeah….
911: Is he a white, black?
Grandmother: He’s white.
911: Do you know what he was wearing?
Grandmother: Probably a black little coat.
911: A black coat?
Grandmother: Yeah.
911: OK. Does he usually do this?
Grandmother: Huh?
911: Does he usually do this?
Grandmother: No.
911: Was he wearing pants?
Grandmother: Yeah, he had pants.
911: Was it jeans?
Grandmother: Yeah, I think so.
911: You said about 45 minutes ago?
Grandmother: Yeah.
911: OK. Is it a big area of woods behind your house?
Grandmother: Yeah, it’s pretty big.
911: Okay you’ve been out there looking for him
[Redacted]
911: Alright, we’ve got a deputy headed to you, OK? And you said 45 minutes directly behind your house or the side?
Grandmother: Yeah.
911: We have some deputies headed that way, OK?
Grandmother: OK, thank you.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes stated that while the FBI, state officials, soldiers from the U.S. Marines Corps, and countless volunteers are assisting in the search for the 3-year-old boy, they are treating his disappearance as a missing child who likely wandered off.
The sheriff stressed, however, that anyone with a tip should report anything “remotely suspicious.” Authorities are following up on all leads.
Casey reportedly didn’t return to his grandmother’s Ernul home off of 200 Toler Road on Tuesday afternoon, after playing outside with a group of children. Two of the children, who are a “little bit” older than Casey, according to the sheriff, returned to her home and said the little boy decided he wanted to keep playing outside.
The grandmother told authorities that Casey may have went into “thick woods” behind her home. Hughes said that although Casey would stay with his grandmother from time to time, she was not considered his primary caregiver.
Casey is a white male who stands 3-feet-tall and weighs around 25 pounds. He has strawberry blonde hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing dark-colored pants and a blue coat.
“Our concern is, we are running out of light and it is cold outside. There are so many pockets of water and sinkholes, some of my deputies have come in up to here,” Hughes said on Tuesday. “Hopefully, it will be a positive, end on a positive note.”
Anyone with any information should contact the Craven County Sheriff’s Office at 252-636-6620 or the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation at 919-662-4500.
[Feature Photo: Casey Hathaway/Handout]
