SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A 4-year-old boy who went missing on Halloween night in the Oak Park neighborhood has been found safe, according to the San Diego Police Department.
According to initial reports from authorities, the boy had last been seen around 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, in the 5400 block of Bayview Heights Place. He was reported missing by his family around 5:30 a.m. the following morning.
Police say the boy was later located at a neighbor’s home after an extensive search that involved significant police resources, including drones and increased patrols.
According to SDPD, a neighbor said she saw the boy alone in a car Thursday night and, concerned for his safety, took him to her home. The neighbor does not live in the same apartment complex as the boy’s family.
The woman reportedly left a note for the boy’s mother explaining what happened — but police say the boy’s younger sister later picked up the note and began drawing on it, obscuring the message.
As a result, the family didn’t see the explanation, prompting them to call police. Officers eventually pieced together the sequence of events and located the boy safe with the neighbor on Saturday morning.
Police have not said why the boy was left in the car or whether any charges will be filed against his parents. Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing.
