The body of Lucas Hernandez, who was reported missing in February in Wichita, Kansas, has been found
The hunt for a missing five-year-old boy has finally ended as investigators say they found his remains Thursday in Kansas.
Lucas Hernandez was reported missing from his home in Wichita on February 17 by his 26-year-old stepmother, Emily Glass.
Authorities had been searching in the 9700 block of South Woodlawn Road in Harvey County where remains of a young boy were discovered.
Harvey County Sheriff Chad Gay said in a press conference the body appeared as though it had been there for ‘awhile’.
His stepmother was booked to the Sedgwick County Jail late Thursday night for interference with law enforcement officer and obstruction.
A court document filed last month revealed the boy was often seen with ‘bruises and cuts’ on his body, according to Fox 4 Kansas City.
The details emerged as part of another juvenile case involving Glass’ infant daughter, who is now under Child Protective Services.
The boy was often under care of his stepmother when his father, who has not been named, traveled for work.
Lucas lived at the Wichita home with his father and was enrolled at Beech Elementary School at the time.
The five year-old-boy was reported missing from his home in Wichita on February 17 by his 26-year-old stepmother, Emily Glass (pictured left and right with him)
Glass (pictured) was booked to the Sedgwick County Jail late Thursday night
Hernandez was last seen by his stepmother around 3pm, in his bedroom at their home on South Edgemoor Street
When the stepmom woke up from a nap three hours later, she told police that the boy was gone and the back door open
Glass told cops at the time that she last saw the boy around 3pm that day, when she went to take a shower and then fell asleep.
When she woke up three hours later, Lucas was gone and the back door was open, she said.
Police quickly jumped into action, using K9 units to search the home, surrounding neighborhood and a nearby park for clues. But they turned up empty handed.
Locals questioned why an Amber Alert wasn’t issued for the boy, but police said that’s because there’s no evidence he was kidnapped.
The FBI worked with local police to locate the boy.
Kristin Edson, a cousin of the stepmom, told KWCH that Lucas’ dad and stepmom were both distraught at the time.
No Amber Alert was issued for Lucas because police have found no evidence he was kidnapped
Police searched the home, surrounding neighborhood and a nearby park for Lucas – to no avail
Relatives told a local newspaper that they knew the family had been investigated by child protective services
‘Very distraught. Very upset. Devastated. I mean, can you imagine?’ Edson said. ‘They’re just very distraught and worried about his safety. It’s cold out. We don’t know where he’s at.’
But other relatives say they knew the family had issues.
Sally Rasmussen, Lucas’ great aunt, and Jeannie Houchin, Lucas’ great grandmother, told The Eagle that they had concerns about the boy’s welfare in the past.
Rasmussen said she contacted the Kansas Department for Children and Families last spring about the boy.
Houchin said the agency confirmed it was investigating. They did not go into details about their concerns.
