Missing boy, 8, found alive nearly 2,000 miles from home after eight months
Breadson John, 8, disappeared from his home in Vancouver, WA, after neighbours raised concerns about his welfare.
US: 8-year-old boy missing from Vancouver found safe
The FBI this week located eight-year-old Breadson John in Kansas City, Missouri – nearly 2,000 miles from his home. Breadson was missing from his home by June 17, 2022, when authorities came knocking to perform a welfare check on the boy. The eight-year-old was living with his grandparents, who reportedly did not assist officials in locating Breadson.
Related articles
The FBI's Seattle bureau confirmed on Tuesday the boy had been recovered in Missouri with the help of the Jasper County Sheriff's Office.
They wrote on Twitter: "On Feb. 17, Breadson was successfully recovered! Thank you to our partners for their hard work: @FBIKansasCity, Jasper County Sheriff's Office, and @VancouverPDUSA."
It is currently not known how the boy travelled to Missouri, where he stayed over the past eight months and who he was with.
The FBI had initially focussed their search on Washington, Hawaii, Arizona and the Federated States of Micronesia due to the boy's family links with the area.
JUST IN: Donald Trump's 'connection' with King Charles could seal post-Brexit UK-US trade deal
Breadson disappeared from his grandparents' home in Vancouver, Washington sometime in June 2022.
Authorities reported his absence after they failed to locate him during a welfare check prompted by a call from a "community member."
A neighbour of the couple said the boy regularly played outside the apartment building he was staying with his family. They added Breadson had not been around since at least late May.
Officials said the eight-year-old's grandparents, Masterino Machuo and Refoela Refalopei, failed to help during the inquiry into Breadson's disappearance.
READ MORE: 'I woke up coughing blood days after toxic train crash as my wife is plagued by headaches'
Missouri: School district reinstates corporal punishment for pupils
Machup and Refalopei were charged with custodial interference in December.
Other family members had also been questioned about Breadson's whereabouts but did not give the police any information.
FBI spokesman Steve Berndt said before the boy was found: "If it was me, and the authorities were looking for my child, I’d be handing over as many new photos as I could to help them find him.
"That’s one of the things that shines the light on (the question of) why these caregivers are not giving us more details.
"They keep on insisting that he’s not missing. Well, then, where is he?”
DON'T MISS
Ohio mayor savages Biden after Ukraine visit [LATEST]
Meghan Markle seeking 'support' after feeling 'embarrased' [INSIGHT]
US-China tensions setting stage for war [REPORT]
Related articles
The police had been relying on old pictures of the boy to raise awareness about his disappearance.
The pictures and missing notice on the FBI website have since been updated to reflect he has been found.
The snaps, which show Breadson playing in the park, have all been printed with the sign "recovered."
Breadson was turned over to the Missouri Department of Social Services after he was found.
Representatives from the Washington Child Protection Services will travel to Kansas City to collect the boy and return him to Vancouver.
Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/ExpressUSNews and @expressusnews
