The mother of an 11-year-old Colorado boy who has been missing for almost a month broke down in tears as she opened up about his disappearance.
Gannon Stauch was last seen between 3.15pm and 4pm on January 27 as he allegedly headed to a friend’s house in Colorado Springs.
The boy was originally categorized as a runaway, before his case was upgraded to that of a missing/endangered person.
In an interview with ABC News, his mother, Landen Hiott, pleaded with the public for help in returning her son home.
‘I don’t want to wait another day,’ she said. ‘He is mommy’s little man. If he is not with me, he is hurting.’
Landen Hiott (pictured), the mother of missing Gannon Stauch, 11, begged the public for help in finding him
Hiott (pictured) said she wants to keep sharing Gannon’s story and described him a jokester who loved to make everyone happy
Gannon (left and right) was last seen at his home in Colorado Springs on January 27. His stepmom said she saw him leave to go to a friend’s house between 3.15pm and 4pm
Hiott lives in South Carolina and said that as soon as she heard the news of her son’s disappearance, she flew into Colorado.
‘This is the longest time that I have not heard his voice, and the only thing I could do is just keep playing videos back and forth of: “Mommy, I love you,”‘ Hiott told ABC News.
Gannon was reported missing by his stepmother, Letecia Stauch, who is married to his father, Albert Stauch.
Initially reported as a runaway, his case was changed to a missing/endangered persons case on January 30. Hiott says she is certain that her son would not run away.
‘When I heard that he ran away, I knew that was the first sign,’ she said.
‘Like, that is not my boy…100 percent without a shadow of a doubt, my boy would not run away.’
Surveillance video from a neighbor’s home captured Letecia leaving the home with Gannon in her pickup truck at around 10.13am on January 27.
However, when she returned at 2.19pm, Gannon is nowhere to be seen
Footage from 2.19pm to the time Gannon was reportedly last seen is not available, but the sheriff’s office said earlier that officers had no surveillance video showing the boy leaving the property.
Roderrick Drayton, the neighbor whose camera picked up the footage, told ABC News that Gannon’s father broke down in tears after he saw the video.
Drayton said when he showed the clip to Albert Stauch, he burst into tears and accused Letecia of ‘lying’ about Gannon walking to a friend’s house.
‘[Albert Stauch] just broke down crying and said: “She lied, she lied about the time. He didn’t go to a friend’s house”.’
After news of the video broke, Letecia gave an interview to KKTV, insisting that she played no part in her stepson’s disappearance.
‘I took care of Gannon for the last two years in our home because his mother didn’t want to do it,’ she said.
‘I would never ever, ever hurt this child…these people have these conspiracy theories…I’m like: “Why are you saying Gannon is dead?” He is not dead. We are going to find Gannon.’
In a statement to KDVR, Letecia insisted that her stepson was, in fact, in her vehicle when they returned home from a shopping trip that afternoon, but he got out from the side of the truck that was not facing their neighbor’s camera.
But surveillance footage shared by a neighbor shows Gannon entering a car with his stepmother that morning but not returning with her that afternoon (pictured)
Gannon was last seen wearing a blue jacket, black jeans and sneakers. He has brown eyes, brown hair, weight 90 pounds and stands around four-foot-nine
Hiott said she wants to keep sharing Gannon’s story and described him a jokester who loved to make everyone happy.
‘I don’t know how to go forward without him,’ she told ABC News.
‘He’s my hero. He gives me life, he gives me energy. If a bad day is going bad, I just hear his voice and it makes it better.’
Gannon was last seen wearing a blue jacket, black jeans and sneakers. He has brown eyes, brown hair, weight 90 pounds and stands around four-foot-nine.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office also said the boy needs medication, but did not specify what for.
If you have any information as it relates to Gannon’s case, please call the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 719-520-6666 or email Tips@elpasoco.com.