Although the Texas EquuSearch team scoured through remote areas in Rosharon, Texas, hoping to find 4-year-old Maleah Davis, they suspended their search Wednesday evening after failing to find anything substantial. Meanwhile, the founder of the search team is questioning whether Maleah’s mother was in her apartment with the girl before leaving for the airport.

Derion Vence, 26, once worked as a mail carrier and had a route in Rosharon, along a secluded area that he apparently said would be a good place to hide a body in, Texas Equusearch founder, Tim Miller, told CrimeOnline. Although the comment was made a year before Maleah disappeared, searchers were hoping to find the little girl in the area.

Miller confirmed that Vence’s statement was “not a rumor” after he talked to Brittany Bowens’ mother, who confirmed that Vence made the comment to her. Bowens is the mother of Maleah and the girlfriend of Vence.

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Vence’s comments, coupled with the fact that police found a gas can in his vehicle, prompted Texas Equusearch to look for possible burned remains of the little girl.

“I was in a helicopter. We flew that whole route,” Miller said. “What I was looking for her, of course was her little body or if he burned little Maleah….When he left that apartment he had a blue clothes basket and a trash bag and, inside of the vehicle was a brand new gas can with just a smidget of gas in the bottom of it. ”

Miller also touched on Bowens and her flight to Massachusetts on April 30, the last day Maleah was seen on security footage at a Houston apartment complex. According to Miller, Maleah was dropped off at daycare during the early morning hours of April 30, yet for some reason was brought back to the apartment. Security footage captured the little girl walking toward her apartment with Vence at around 7:45 a.m.

“Supposedly the children were taken to daycare that morning, but then Maleah… apparently she (Bowens) brought her back and she (Maleah) was apparently in the apartment for like an hour and a half before mom left. But she says she doesn’t ever remember seeing her in the apartment. So, you know, who’s telling the truth and who’s lying? I think she’s lying and I think he’s lying.”

Meanwhile, Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to Maleah. A spokesperson for Crime Stoppers said the amount is standard for missing children, but the amount could increase in the future, according to Click 2 Houston.