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Police are fearing the worst for a Maywood toddler after the Wednesday search for him was suspended due to inclement weather and the account given by own mother being called into question by police.
Police confirmed with WGN that one and a half-year-old Bryeon Hunter is presumed dead, less than two days after his reported abduction prompted an Illinois AMBER Alert.
Bryeon's 23-year-old mother Lakeshia Baker told police three men abducted her and beat her before dropping her off and kidnapping the toddler Tuesday afternoon in the Chicago suburb of Maywood.
As of Wednesday, however, the Sun-Times reports Maywood police believed Baker's statements were untrue. “We believe this to be an isolated event and not one that was described as three men committing an abduction,” Maywood Police Chief Tim Curry said according to the Sun-Times.
Baker and her boyfriend were initially brought to the Maywood police station for questioning after she was released from the hospital, ABC Chicago reports. Relatives say both remained in police custody Wednesday night, and according to ABC, each was apparently blaming the other for Bryeon's disappearance.
Maywood authorities launched a search of the Des Plaines River for Bryeon, but the search was called off Wednesday due to stormy weather conditions, according to NBC Chicago. Earlier Wednesday NBC asked Curry about his hopes for the boy's recovery, and the police chief said he was "not optimistic."
Despite police presumptions, the AMBER Alert for Bryeon is currently still in effect: he's described as a black male, 2-feet tall and weighing 30 pounds. He is listed as last seen wearing a blue striped long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and blue and brown Nike boots.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Maywood Police Department at 708-450-4471.
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