Wichita police widening search for missing 5-year-old. Family members had concerns.

Wichita police on Monday appeared to be widening their search for a missing 5-year-old boy, Lucas Hernandez.

In addition to a continued search at Chisholm Creek Park, about a dozen officers were gathered Monday morning at a park north of Chisholm Creek along K-96.

Also Monday morning, police vehicles and horse trailers were parked outside Great Plains Nature Center at Chisholm Creek Park, near 29th and Oliver. Police blocked entrances to the park.

Lucas was reported lost at about 6:15 p.m. Saturday in the 600 block of South Edgemoor. When officers arrived, Lucas’ 26-year-old stepmom said he was last seen at about 3 p.m. Saturday in his bedroom prior to her showering and falling asleep.

Two relatives of the boy told The Eagle on Sunday that they had concerns about Lucas’ welfare in the past. Sally Rasmussen, a great-aunt of Lucas, said she contacted the Kansas Department for Children and Families last spring. The other relative, Jeannie Houchin, a great-grandmother of the boy, said the Kansas child protection agency confirmed it was investigating. A Department for Children and Families spokeswoman couldn’t be reached Sunday.

Court records show that Lucas lives with his father.

During a news conference Sunday afternoon, Officer Charley Davidson said officers and canine units had searched both his home and neighborhood with no luck. That same afternoon, more than a dozen Wichita police cars lined the streets of the neighborhood where Lucas was reported missing. Officers were seen going door to door questioning residents in the case.

Sunday evening, police officers turned their attention to the Chisholm Creek Park. About a dozen police cars, a canine unit and a Red Cross van were parked near the entrance to the park off of Oliver.

Police said no additional information would be released until Monday. No updates have been provided as of early Monday morning.

Two police cars remained outside the home in the 600 block of South Edgemoor on Monday morning.

Davidson said police have found no evidence that points toward an abduction, which is why an Amber Alert had not been activated.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team is assisting the Wichita Police Department with the investigation. The Emergency Action Command Center has also been 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.

A teacher with Beech Elementary School in Wichita posted on Facebook that Lucas is one of her students, and school district spokeswoman Susan Arensman confirmed that the boy is enrolled at the school.

“Please pray for the safe return of the 5 year old that went missing (Saturday),” the teacher wrote. “He is one of my students and a very sweet little boy. Please Please pray for him and his family. My heart is so heavy right now.”

If you have any information on Lucas or his whereabouts, the department asks that you call the tip line at 316-383-4661. Davidson said many have reached out willing to help search, but he said the best way to help right now is to share Lucas’ missing child poster.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with Lucas and Lucas’ family,” Davidson said.

Contributing: Beccy Tanner of The Eagle

This story was originally published February 19, 2018 at 9:05 AM with the headline "Wichita police widening search for missing 5-year-old. Family members had concerns.."