Lucas Hernandez has been missing for a week; search continues

It’s been a week since 5-year-old Lucas Hernandez was reported missing, and a second search of Chisholm Creek Park on Friday came up empty, Wichita police said.

Authorities had previously searched the park on Monday, but Officer Paul Cruz said “a new tip” prompted “a strategic search” of a portion of the park Friday afternoon. The search included K-9 units and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputies.

“We want to be very thorough,” Cruz said in a media briefing late Friday afternoon. “We want to make sure that we search every inch of this park that was of interest to us.”

Asked on Saturday morning if there were any overnight developments, Cruz said, “Not at this time, we just ask the public to call in with any information.”

Earlier this week, Officer Charley Davidson said about 100 officers at a time have been assigned to try and find Lucas, who was reported missing about 6:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, in the 600 block of South Edgemoor. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office are helping.

Police are encouraging the community to call the tip line, 316-383-4661, with any information about Lucas.

Cruz has urged residents to share any information linked to Lucas, no matter “how insignificant it might be.”

When officers arrived at the home Feb. 17, police said, the boy’s 26-year-old stepmother said he was last seen about 3 p.m. that day in his bedroom before she showered and fell asleep.

The stepmother, Emily Glass, was arrested this week on suspicion of two counts of child endangerment involving Lucas and a 1-year-old child, police said. Glass has a 1-year-old daughter.

Police have said that they found no evidence of an abduction, which is why an Amber Alert was not activated.

Lucas was born Dec. 3, 2012, has brown hair and brown eyes, is about 4 feet tall and weighs about 60 pounds. He was last seen wearing black sweats, white socks and a gray shirt with a bear on it.

This story was originally published February 24, 2018 at 9:15 AM with the headline "Lucas Hernandez has been missing for a week; search continues."