Post by LadyBlue on Aug 4, 2007 20:25:10 GMT -5
The search for a 6-year-old who has been missing for five days gained intensity after police received a tip about where the boy might be found.
After learning that Christopher Barrios Jr. may have been inside the mobile home of a registered sex offender who lives near the home of the boy's grandmother, police searched the trailer and the area around it with K-9 units and a helicopter.
George Edenfield, 31, was arrested on a violation of probation charge on Friday, the day after Christopher disappeared. Police said Edenfield admitted to having unsupervised contact with Christopher, which is a violation of the terms of his parole.
"He gave us one story about his involvement and then we checked it out and it turned out not to be truthful," Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering said Tuesday morning. "We brought him back here last night out of jail to help us go where he claimed he had put this young child -- wasn't truthful. It seems every time you talk to him he changes his story."
Doering said that suspect's mother, Peggy Edenfield, 57, also gave police conflicting statements -- at one time telling police Christopher might have been in the home alive after he was reported missing.
Early Wednesday, Channel 4 learned that a third member of the Edenfield family was arrested in connection with the investigation, that that person's name was not available.
Monday night the Glynn County police named Edenfield a suspect in Christopher's disappearance and obtained a warrant to search his home.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation sexual offender database, George Edenfield was convicted of two counts of child molestation in 1997.
Doering said Peggy Edenfield was arrested on charges of giving false statements, obstruction of an officer and concealing the death of another person -- but Doering was quick to say that filing that charge does not mean that police believe that Christopher is dead.
Christopher was last seen Thursday night at a play area in the Canal Mobile Home Park where his family members live.
Nearly 300 volunteers spent the weekend searching the area, and organizers vowed their efforts would not halt until Christopher was found.
After two days of searching with ground units, helicopters, K-9 officers, mounted patrols and ATVs, the police said they were convinced Christopher is no longer in the area and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation issued a Levi's Call -- Georgia's equivalent of an Amber Alert.
Christopher was last seen wearing a blue-green pullover sweater with black pants and white Reebok tennis shoes.
On Monday, the reward for information leading to Christopher safe return was raised to $30,000.
The Glynn County Police Department asks anyone who has seen Christopher or can provide further information to call 912-554-7803 or Silent Witness at 912-264-1333.
www.news4jax.com/news/11241561/detail.html