NEED TO KNOW
- On Thursday, Aug. 14, Bryan Vasquez was reported missing from his home on Beaucaire Street in New Orleans
- According to the Louisiana State Police (LSP), Vasquez, 12, who suffers from a neurodevelopmental condition, was “last seen wearing an adult diaper”
- The missing child is described by police as a 5 feet 1 inches tall Hispanic male, who weighs between 86 and 100 pounds
An urgent search has been launched for a 12-year-old boy with a severe brain condition, who went missing from his home in New Orleans.
At around 10:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, Aug. 14, Bryan Vasquez was “discovered missing from his home” on Beaucaire Street in New Orleans, the Louisiana State Police (LSP) said in a news release. A Level II Endangered/Missing Child alert was issued for the 12-year-old at around 1:39 a.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 15.
Vasquez suffers from a neurodevelopmental condition and is non-verbal. He also does not understand English or Spanish, according to the LSP. He has been described by police as a Hispanic male with brown eyes and black hair, who is 5 feet 1 inches tall and weighs between 86 and 100 pounds.
“He was last seen wearing an adult diaper and is believed to be walking in an unknown direction,” per the LSP news release.
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) wrote on Facebook, “Please be on the lookout for Bryan Vasquez. This 12-year-old has been missing since early yesterday morning in New Orleans East. Call 9-1-1 if you think you see this child.”
Vasquez was last seen at around 6:33 a.m. on Thursday, walking nude around the neighborhood and he “appeared to be in distress,” NOLA News reported, citing a press conference given by officials on Friday.
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“He’s probably hungry and needs medical attention,” NOPD Major Lejon Roberts said, per the outlet. “He could be scared. He could be hiding.”
Police said that there are “several low-lying canals” in the area where Vasquez went missing. Boats are on the scene amid the search for him, per NOLA News.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Vasquez is asked to contact the NOPD, Seventh District, (504) 658-6070 or dial 911.
PEOPLE has reached out to the LSP and NOPD for comment.
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