BUCKEYE, Ariz. - Buckeye Police have called off the ground search for Jesse Wilson, 10, who has been missing for four days.
“I was very taken back yesterday when I saw 200 people come out and then another 80 came out this morning,” said Sgt. Jason Weeks of the Buckeye Police Department.
More volunteers showed up to help search, but not for long. “We’re sorry we had to shut it down, because of the heat concern,” said Weeks.
Authorities sent more than 80 civilian volunteers home Thursday morning after several of them came down with symptoms of heat stroke, a Buckeye police spokesman said.
The department made the decision not to send any more volunteer searchers out on Friday. Instead, the spokesman said searchers will utilize a helicopter and the department's own officers to keep looking.
“We’re going to be using some aerial resources and we’re going to bring some more police personnel in to go do searches in a couple other areas,” Weeks said.
12 News was outside of Jesse's home Thursday night and captured video of the FBI at the house early Thursday. Caution tape is up and the FBI was cleaning up and driving away from the boy's home near 239th Avenue and Twilight Trail.
The bureau's assistance in such cases is standard protocol, officials said. Buckeye police continue to lead the investigation.
Police questioned Jesse's mother Wednesday night and say she may be questioned further. No one has been identified as a suspect in the case.
Wednesday, a couple hundred people spent the morning searching neighborhoods and the desert around Jesse's Buckeye house. When volunteers wrapped up around 11 a.m., police say they covered about two-thirds of the search area.
Police say Jesse was last seen in his bedroom Sunday night. He may have climbed through a bedroom window from his home.
Jesse is African American, 4 feet tall, and weighs 60 pounds. He was last seen wearing a red shirt, shorts, black socks and black shoes.
Daniel Hughes, president of the school where Jesse attends, spoke with 12 News saying they’re doing everything they can to support Jesse’s family during this time.
“We believe our role in this is helping provide that hope and support,” said Hughes.
While the circumstances of Jesse's disappearance are not yet known, police have not ruled out foul play.
If you have any information or if you've seen Jesse, contact Buckeye Police at 623-349-6400.
