Authorities responded to an alarming call yesterday afternoon about a disoriented 10-year-old boy found in Redwood Valley who claimed he had been kidnapped by two men. After a thorough investigation, law enforcement determined there was no evidence to support this. The boy, in fact, had left home following an argument with his sibling, leading to the confusion.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Captain Quincy Cromer told us via email that on June 11, 2024, at approximately 2:19 p.m., the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a resident who found a confused child in the 8100 block of Uva Drive.
The boy reportedly struggled to answer questions and initially claimed he might have suffered a head injury and suggested he had been kidnapped from Potter Valley by two men who left him on Uva Drive.
Given the severity of the reported circumstances, Captain Cromer said the Sheriff’s Office deployed numerous detectives and investigators to the scene, along with medical personnel to assess the child’s health.
After a thorough investigation, detectives found no evidence to support the claims of kidnapping or injury.
The child’s father, who had been searching for him in the neighborhood, informed law enforcement that his son had left their home after an argument with a sibling. The boy had been missing for about 25 minutes, a timeframe consistent with the distance he walked to Uva Drive. Investigators confirmed the boy had not been in Potter Valley and was from the local area.
Surveillance footage from nearby residences and witness accounts corroborated that the child was alone before being found by the resident who alerted authorities. Based on the evidence, detectives concluded that the child left home voluntarily following the argument.
Captain Cromer said the investigation is ongoing, but there is no known threat to the public. The child was medically assessed and subsequently released to his father at the scene.
Ugh, this is scary. Do they know for certain that the main claiming to be the boy’s father, was actually the boy’s father? I just feel like law enforcement CAN have a bad track record for not believing the child and sending them right back to the arms of someone exploiting them. Dahmer comes to mind. I know the article has limited information, but could the house the boy left from actually be the house he might have been held at? The two “men” were actually and older boy and an older male? This needs a bigger investigation. Sometimes it is a zebra.
Coming from a law enforcement family I am 100% pro good cop (Dislike the bad ones).
That said you make some valid points.
With todays political climate and the ever growing restraints affecting our law enforcement community there is unfortunately a chance for occasional errors in judgement and what can actualy be accomplished.
Sometimes it also appears to me that there is a shortage of well qualified people for whatever reasons to fill positions.
I would disagree with the 1st comment. Law enforcement are more competent than you are saying. You did not take into account that children lie. No matter the age, they lie especially when they are angry. These lies can detrimentally affect others lives. And when kids lie and get caught will dig in their heels and insist and embellish their lies. Law enforcement needs to bill the parent for their time. And the parent needs to have a serious conversation with their child. Otherwise that 10 yr old is going to be an adult with a huge problem. Lying and not taking responsibility for their actions creates an entitled adult.
I understand what you mean. I think some and probably most LE are competent. But, I would rather be wrong and LE investigate a little deeper, then to be horribly right. I also know that children lie. I have children. It’s more rare for a child of this age to lie like this to a police officer. Why was the child disoriented? A 10 year old disoriented also needs more investigation. LE can get apathetic about situations. This was discussed over and over again in my law enforcement classes in college. AND this was coming from officers still working in the field. It doesn’t make them bad or even particularly incompetent. Somethings just need a little more investigation.