A 13-year-old boy who disappeared three days ago called a friend Thursday who then contacted the boy’s mother to report the teen is fine and has not been abducted, a Chicago police spokesman said.
Sgt. Robert Cargie said police talked to the friend, who said she received a call Thursday from missing Alberto Torres, and to Alberto’s mother. Alberto told his contact he is staying with friends, Cargie said.
“I’m just hoping for a call and hoping he comes home, but at least someone heard from him,” said Alberto’s mother, Elizabeth Reyes. “I’m just happy he called someone, and she called me to let me know, and hopefully he’s going to come home.”
Alberto was last seen by a crossing guard on Chicago Avenue about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday on the way to school, minutes after he left home. Reyes reported him missing later that day.
“Our investigation continues,” Cargie said. “Based on his contact, hopefully we’ll find him shortly.”
After Reyes reported her son missing, she said: “He didn’t run away. He’s never late to school, never gets home late. He’s a really quiet kid who gets A’s and B’s. … Usually, he’s on the honor roll.”
Alberto normally left for school a little early to serve on a school traffic patrol, which is posted at different points around Carpenter Elementary School in West Town.
Reyes said the family is very close.
Her parents and younger sister live below her and her husband. Two of Reyes’ sisters live within several blocks, and other family members are frequently around.
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School officials called Reyes’ home Tuesday to say he had not shown up, but the relative who answered the call does not speak English and did not understand the message, said Reyes, 33.
The family realized the boy was missing only after 3 p.m., when he did not show up to pick up his younger brother from an after-school program, Reyes said.
Family members searched the neighborhood for nearly two hours before calling police.
“It was so hard for us to believe,” Reyes said. “He’s not allowed to go anywhere without a family member.”
Carpenter Principal Aida Munoz, a school psychologist and caseworker spoke to 7th and 8th graders about student safety, and the Chicago Public Schools made its crisis-intervention unit available, district spokesman Mike Vaughn said.
“I’ve been so protective of him for reasons like this,” Reyes said. “I’ve told him if he ever felt afraid to come to me, he could go to anyone in the family.”
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