Missing 7-year-old boy from Arlington Heights located in downtown LA
The 7-year-old boy who went missing from Arlington Heights has been located and is in good health the Los Angeles Police Department reported around 2:50 p.m. Wednesday.
The boy was found walking on Fifth and San Pedro in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said.
Derek Clay was reported missing when he was last seen around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, in the courtyard of an apartment complex where he lives with his grandfather in the 1100 block of Crenshaw Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The boy's grandfather, Donald Lewis, said he has had custody of Derek since October.
Lewis said it is not like Derek to be away from home so long.
"He always comes home," Lewis said. "He eats a lot. He's hungry."
According to the grandfather, Derek often goes to visit friends, but he always returns home. He called the police around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when the boy still had not returned.
"If someone has him, let him go," Lewis said. "Let him find his way home."
Police canvassed the neighborhood, using bloodhounds to assist in the search.
