Current:Home > Stocks13-year-old walked away from his mom at Arizona car wash. A month later, he's still missing. -FutureFinance
13-year-old walked away from his mom at Arizona car wash. A month later, he's still missing.
View
Date:2025-04-19 04:53:25
It has been over a month since a 13-year-old boy walked away from his mom at an Arizona car wash as local authorities continue a fervent search for the missing teen who has little familiarity with the area.
Elijah Gumbus has been missing since Aug. 31 and surveillance footage from the Weiss Guys Car Wash in Maricopa County, which USA TODAY obtained, shows the moments leading up to his disappearance. The boy, who is wearing a red shirt in the video, is seen hopping out of his mother's car and jogging west.
Elijah's mother can be heard in the footage calling out his name multiple times before the video cuts off.
“There's a lot of areas there that he could have either met with somebody or taken off or hid or something like that, but at the moment, that's the only information that we had and the only surveillance that we had in the area that was able to pick him up in a direction of travel," Tolleson police Lt. Lee Garrett told KPNX.
USA TODAY contacted Tolleson police on Wednesday but has not yet received a response.
'We're extremely concerned'
As the search continues for Elijah, Garrett said the department has a "detective that is 100% dedicated to just this case at this point," KPNX reported.
“We're extremely concerned," the lieutenant said. "We're very involved."
At the time of Elijah's disappearance, his mother was driving from California to Louisiana for her work, according to Garrett, per the Arizona-based TV station. The mother and son stopped at the car wash, and while she was cleaning the vehicle, Elijah jogged away, the lieutenant said.
Neither Elijah nor his mother have ties to Arizona, which makes this case even more problematic and worrisome, Garrett told KPNX. There have been custody issues between Elijah's father and mother, but neither live in Arizona, and police have confirmed that the child is not with either of them, the TV station reported.
“What's most concerning is his age and the fact that he doesn't have ties to Arizona or any family here. We don't know how he would have connected with somebody here, or if he just simply ran away,” according to Garrett. “He's not a very big kid, so he's somebody that would stand out. He's got a very young face. So we're hoping that somebody will see this and realize that if he's on the streets, or if he's with somebody he shouldn't then they will call 911 immediately.”
Anyone with information about Elijah's whereabouts can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or Tolleson police at 1-623-936-7186.
veryGood! (4483)
Related
- Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
- Skater accused of sex assault shouldn't be at world championships, victim's attorney says
- A Nashville guide for those brought here by Beyoncé: Visit these Music City gems
- Firing of Ohtani’s interpreter highlights how sports betting is still illegal in California
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- More than 440,000 Starbucks-branded mugs recalled due to burn, laceration risk
- Georgia lawmakers advance bills targeting immigrant-friendly policies
- The Bodysuits Everyone Loves Are All Under $20 for the Amazon Big Spring Sale
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Deep Red
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Kansas holds off Samford in March Madness after benefitting from controversial foul call
- Why Stranger Things Star Joe Keery Goes By the Moniker Djo
- Caitlin Clark's first March Madness opponent set: Holy Cross up next after First Four blowout
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- There's so much electronic waste in the world it could span the equator – and it's still growing
- Oakland extends Kentucky's NCAA Tournament woes with massive March Madness upset
- The Eras Tour cast: Meet Taylor Swift's dancers, singers and band members
Recommendation
Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
Squatters suspected of killing woman in NYC apartment, stuffing her body in duffle bag, police sources say
Trump could score $3.5 billion from Truth Social going public. But tapping the money may be tricky.
More than 440,000 Starbucks-branded mugs recalled due to burn, laceration risk
Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
Police find Missouri student Riley Strain’s body in Tennessee river; no foul play suspected
Women's college basketball is faster than it's ever been. Result: More records falling
All 6 officers from Mississippi Goon Squad have been sentenced to prison for torturing 2 Black men