Federal agencies have joined local law enforcement officials in Ohio as part of the effort to find a 14-year-old boy who went missing 10 days ago while on his way to school.
Harley Dilly of Port Clinton has not been heard from since around 7am on December 20. He was last seen leaving for school wearing glasses, gray sweatpants, a maroon puffy jacket, and black tennis shoes.
Local police say they have no leads as to where the boy might be, according to WNWO-TV.
Last week, about 75 law enforcement agencies conducted a thorough search in the Port Clinton area using helicopters and K-9 teams.
Port Clinton Police Chief Rob Hickman said there is no evidence to indicate that Harley was abducted, though investigators are not ruling it out.
Harley Dilly, 14, of Port Clinton, Ohio, has been missing for at least 10 days, according to law enforcement officials
Last week, 75 different agencies scoured the area near his Port Clinton home using K-9 teams and helicopters, but no sign of the boy was found
Harley was last seen on this surveillance video on December 20 between 6am and 7am after he left his home and headed to school
Police say he was wearing a maroon puffy jacket (like the one seen in the above stock image) at the time of his disappearance
Harley’s disappearance comes about a month after police were called to the home after receiving a report of a ‘family issue.’
Officers who responded to the home reportedly had to calm the boy, though authorities would not offer specifics.
Last year, Harley posted a YouTube video on his page showing him expressing frustrations and claiming that his mother locked him out of the house.
The video was aired by WNWO-TV.
On Friday, the Dilly family released a statement saying: ‘We want to thank all the agencies and all the people from the community who have assisted in searching for our son Harley from now and through the holiday season.
‘As you can imagine our family is terribly distraught at this time. This is not the Christmas wish we had hoped for.
‘We pray for the safe return of our son, Harley.
‘Harley if you hear/read this, please come home we missed you, your family miss you.
‘You are not in trouble. We love you.
‘Thank you one and all for the continued effort and work you are doing, and for all your thoughts and prayers.
‘Pray, share, keep your eyes open.’
Harley’s mother, Heather Dilly, posted a message on Facebook on Sunday in which she lashed out at those who criticized her for not showing enough emotion during a television interview.
A few weeks before his disappearance, police were called to the Dilly home for a ‘family issue.’ Officers reportedly had to calm the boy. Harley is seen left wit his mother, Heather Dilly
‘I have tried to protect him from all the pain in the world, but he is a teen and can’t always be a momma’s boy,’ Heather Dilly wrote of her son in a lengthy Facebook post on Sunday
‘I have tried to protect him from all the pain in the world, but he is a teen and can’t always be a momma’s boy,’ she wrote.
‘I knew as he got older I would lose a little more of his attention but what I would give just to get that little bit now.
‘I can’t bring myself to clean up things in his room, I didn’t want to wash the dirty clothes from his room, and I refuse to put the tree and any Christmas stuff away…he didn’t have his Christmas with us.’
The post continued: ‘Harley if you see this… please please come home, call someone, let us know you are alive and safe.
‘I leave my door open and stare outside looking at the road, the alley, the cars going by… are you in there, can you see us.
‘What if [sic] all the online and tv isn’t reaching you. You’ve been gone and NO one has seen you… where are you? Momma loves you…every night I sit on couch and try to stay awake for you…Just come home. Please.’
Anyone with information related to Harley’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Port Clinton Police Department at (419) 734-3121.