Video footage shows the moment that a 13-year-old boy walked away from his mother at a car wash in Arizona. Incredibly, he never returned.
Nobody has any idea where he could have possibly gone.
At a glance:
- 13-year-old Elijah Gumbus has been missing since August 31 after walking away from his mother at a car wash in Arizona.
- Surveillance footage captured him jogging away, and authorities are actively investigating with a dedicated detective on the case.
- Elijah has no ties to Arizona, adding to concerns as police continue their search for the missing teen.
Elijah Gumbus, a 13-year-old boy, has been missing for over a month after vanishing from a car wash in Maricopa County, Arizona, on August 31. Surveillance footage shows Elijah stepping out of his mother’s car and jogging westward, with his mother calling out his name, but he never returned. Despite intensive efforts by local authorities, Elijah remains missing.
At the time of the disappearance, Elijah and his mother were passing through Arizona on their way from California to Louisiana for her work. They stopped at the Weiss Guys Car Wash, where Elijah left the car and walked away. The video footage, which was obtained by USA TODAY, shows Elijah wearing a red shirt, but provides no further clues as to where he went after leaving the car wash.
Tolleson police Lt. Lee Garrett expressed deep concern, noting that there is a detective assigned exclusively to Elijah’s case. “We’re extremely concerned,” Garrett said, explaining that neither Elijah nor his mother have ties to Arizona, making the search even more challenging. The lack of connections in the area and the absence of any known contact Elijah might have had in the state leaves authorities without clear leads on where he might have gone or with whom.
There are custody issues between Elijah’s mother and father, though police have confirmed that Elijah is not with either parent. Garrett also emphasized the boy’s age and young appearance, urging the public to keep an eye out. “He’s got a very young face… We’re hoping that somebody will see this and realize if he’s on the streets or with someone he shouldn’t be, they’ll call 911 immediately.”
Authorities are asking anyone with information about Elijah’s whereabouts to contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or the Tolleson police at 1-623-936-7186 as the search for Elijah continues.
How does this happen?
