Updated: Jun 26, 2019 / 08:31 AM EDT
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Officials with Hampton Police say there is no end in sight yet in the search for 2-year-old Noah Tomlin.
Hampton Police have now searched for two days, but there’s been no sign of the toddler. They say they’ve exhausted all reasonable efforts at their original area near Buckroe Beach and will be moving to other areas of the city in the coming days.
Sgt. Reginald Williams said the organized search parties have completed multiple searches in multiple areas. He said they are continuing the search and that “locating this juvenile is an extremely high priority.” They are working at full capacity with help from outside resources.
The search efforts began Monday morning, continued overnight and resumed Tuesday. On the ground and in the air, police are racing against the clock to find the toddler. Williams confirmed police were also at a nearby landfill for “surveillance purposes only … in case the investigation turns that way.”
“We’re looking for some areas we might have missed so we can go through those areas with a fine tooth comb and make sure we haven’t overlooked anything,” said Williams.
Sgt. Williams said the child’s parents are cooperating. As far as the investigation goes, he said they are considering every option – from a potential abduction to a missing child. The parents were released from police questioning, and Williams says the department cannot disclose any persons of interest at this time.
The search for 2-year-old Noah Tomlin resume Tuesday morning in Hampton.
“We’re pouring everything we have into the search and we’re just asking anybody that knows any information or has any information that could lead to us finding this child, please contact us,” said Sgt. Williams.
Police said every resource available is being used to find the toddler and they’ve contacted the FBI for assistance.
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Police said the toddler was last seen around 1 a.m. Monday morning when his mother put him down to sleep. We’re told Noah’s mother reported him missing around 11:30 a.m.
“We were looking around for him,” said Terry Dieringer, a nearby resident. “We were looking everywhere ourselves for about two or three hours and nothing.”
“There’s so much going through my head,” said Katie Allen. “I feel crazy just thinking about it because my little boy, he’s almost 2 years old.”
Police taped off part of S. First Street, where neighbors said the child lives.
There are investigators and officers on site that are pursuing every aspect of the investigation from the origin of where the child went missing,” Sgt. Williams said, in reference to S. First Street.
One woman we spoke to didn’t want to go on camera but she tells 10 On Your Side she had just come home for lunch when she realized something was wrong.
“I see the kids down the street, my neighbors, yelling ‘Noah Noah,’” the woman said.
The woman even saw a forensics unit. She also said officers were also going door to door looking for surveillance video.
Police said they are looking into every possible scenario ranging from the child wandering off to foul play.
“All of that is still under investigation,” Williams said. “We’re not ruling it out. We are considering it as a possibility and we are exploring every possible avenue.”
The community is trying to remain optimistic during this difficult time.
“It’s sad. It’s a sad situation. I hope they find him,” Dieringer said.
Noah was last seen wearing a white and green pajama shirt with a diaper.
If you have any information that could help in finding Noah, call Hampton police at 757-727-6111.
