Watch CBS News

Authorities search for missing 2-month-old Fla. boy

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. -- Sarasota County Sheriff's Office investigators are desperately searching for a missing 2-month-old boy from North Port who hasn't been seen in nearly a month, reports CBS affiliate WTSP.

Detectives believe that Chance Walsh's parents are holding back the answers to help find him."Our hope of all hopes is that somebody has Chance," said Capt. Charlie Thorpe.

Investigators say his parents -- Kristen Bury and Joseph Walsh -- have told story after story: that the little boy is OK; that he died in a car crash; and that they gave him away.

Records show a cadaver dog alerted authorities to possible human remains at the family's North Port apartment. There they found blood on the bed, and the walls, door, mirror and light in the bathroom, the station reports.

"I get nauseous over these kinds of cases," said Thorpe.

He said Chance's grandmother contacted the sheriff's office Sunday, concerned that the family hasn't seen the boy since Sept. 9.

"They had informed us they had given the child away, because they were robbed in Augusta, Ga.," he said.

Investigators tracked the couple to an Augusta motel. A woman there says they tried to sell her baby clothes claiming their child had died.

"She was aware of Walsh and Bury. However, no child was with them," Thorpe said. From there, detectives tracked them to Hardeeville, S.C., where they got into a car crash on Friday."The car they were driving was totaled. Neither of them was hurt. One of the phone calls made to relatives was the child died."

But, Thorpe said, "Hardeeville PD let us know there was no child in that car.

Court records show the couple has a history of drugs, battery and theft. They're now facing child neglect charges. Investigators say clearly they aren't caring for Chance or helping to find him.

"It's beyond frustrating, because someone knows what happened. Just tell us what happened. We're talking about a child here," Capt. Thorpe said.

In addition to working with the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is issuing a bulletin seeking information on Chance or his parents to assist with this investigation.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.