The parents of a missing 12-year-old boy in Oklahoma are in custody on child abuse charges, a week after the child was last seen.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has described Ryan Davis’ disappearance as “suspicious.” He vanished on January 2, last seen in the community 40 miles south of Oklahoma City. Authorities said he had been staying in a hotel with his family.
On January 7, officials announced that Davis’ mother, Kimberly Cole, 33, and his stepfather, George Cole, 43, were in custody on charges that included child abuse and child sexual abuse.
One of the charges levelled against Kimberly Cole is of “crime against nature.”
In announcing the arrests, OSBI spokesperson Hunter McKee described the Cole’s home as “not safe” for Davis who also went by RJ and Ryker.
“This is extremely sad. This is a horrific case so far for everybody involved,” McKee added.
Last week, a $5,000 reward was issued for anyone who could “confirm RJ’s location, leading to his safe return.”
“We’re still receiving several tips, we’re still following up on those tips, but the boy has not been found. We do believe he is alive at this time, so we are doing everything we can to locate him,” McKee told the media last week while discussing the case that a multi-agency search operation was underway that involved drones, dogs, and water searches.
“It’s getting to a point where it is scary. Time is of the essence. We have to find this child.”
The spokesman also said that Davis has run away in the past, though he did not elaborate on the circumstances. He asked anybody with surveillance cameras in the Chickasha area to check the footage for any trace of the missing child.
“All we want to do is lay eyes on this child, get him the medical care that he needs, and assure him, physically and emotionally, he will not be returning back to that environment,” Chickasha Chief Goebel Music said at the same press conference.
Music said that under no circumstances will Davis return to live with his parents.
Prior to her arrest, Kimberly Cole publicly thanked those searching for her son in an interview with ABC’s Oklahoma City affiliate KOCO.
“We just want our son back home, we want him back,” she said.
According to Kimberly Cole’s Facebook page, Davis last went missing on December 17. It’s not clear when he was found in that instance.
A member of George Cole’s family has received a restraining order against him and Kimberly Cole, reports The Oklahoman.
Over the weekend, search parties concentrated their efforts around Lake Burtschi in Grady County. A volunteer told KOCO that he was using his drone over the lake to help in the search.
“What I’ve been able to see so far out there is there’s a lot of clearing areas, so what they tell me is RJ really knows good camping skills and maybe camping out somewhere so I’m looking for signs of anything he may have left behind campsite tent anything,” Kent Jones told the station.
One sign posted up close to the lake that was uploaded on Facebook read: “RJ. This is a safe place. Plz come to our home.”
Davis is 4 feet 11 inches and weighs 85 pounds. When he was last seen, Davis was wearing a red-and-black plaid shirt, dark jeans, and brown steel-toe boots.
Anyone with information is urged to call an OSBI tip line at 800-522-8017.
