A California boy may have never been at the home his parents reported him missing from, at least according to a theory by a next-door neighbor.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Thaddeus Sran disappeared from the 800 block of C Street in Madera on July 14, according to what the boy’s family told police. Thaddeus’ parents said they put him to sleep at around 10 p.m. but when they woke the following morning, he was gone.
Thaddeus was born prematurely and is just now learning to walk, but usually crawls to move around. He uses a feeding tube, is nonverbal, and needs “special care.”
Authorities previously said they were treating the incident as a possible abduction and will not leave any stone unturned. The FBI and the US Marshalls have been assisting in the investigation but last Friday, police scaled back the search after scouring “every inch of the neighborhood,” ABC 30 reports.
The family had only been in the Madera neighborhood for a few weeks when they said Thaddeus vanished, but next-door neighbor Ermelanto Espinoza said he never once saw the child.
“It’s all strange. I don’t think the boy was ever here. I think the alleged abduction was elsewhere because I never saw anything.”
Thadeus stands two feet tall and weighs around 30 pounds. He was last seen wearing a diaper, Spiderman pants, and a red shirt.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact police at (559) 675-4220. A $5,000 reward is currently being offered for information that leads to the toddler’s whereabouts.
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[Feature Photo: Thaddeus Sran/Police Handout]