SEARCY — The search for a missing toddler who is believed to have wandered away from his home Sunday night entered its third day Tuesday, with volunteers scouring new neighborhoods and a specialized team of dogs joining the efforts.
Malik Drummond, 2, was last seen Sunday evening at his home on Park Avenue. Police began searching after his father and stepmother reported he vanished while in the living room with a sibling.
On Monday, an estimated 500 volunteers scoured the neighborhoods surrounding the home. A smaller group showed up Tuesday, with some sweeping through the same territory and others looking at farther-away parts of town, including around Northfield Drive in the north part of town and the Cloverdale area on the east side of the city.
Cpl. Steve Hernandez, a spokesman for the Searcy Police Department, said there has been no evidence received of foul play, though police were looking at all possibilities. Not finding any sign of Malik as the second full day of active searching began was disappointing, he added.
"It was discouraging night one when we didn't have him," Hernandez said. "So to say it's discouraging here on day three, yes. But we're going to continue to search as a police department, and I know the volunteers here in Searcy are going to continue to come out and they're going to continue to search."
In addition to the help from the community, police officers were going door-to-door seeking information and a team of dogs was brought in through the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Hernandez said. The dogs, which are certified through the Department of Homeland Security and are based in Fort Smith, were attempting to track a scent from Malik's home Tuesday morning, though it wasn't yet known whether they were finding any success.
Investigators, meanwhile, received multiple reports of possible sightings of Malik, but none turned out to actually be him.
"They see a small, biracial child that's approximately 2 years old and it's automatically assumed it's Malik," Hernandez said. "And we don't discourage that. Because in a case, it may be Malik. But we've counted out all the claims so far."
Between 100 and 150 volunteers were scouring various parts of Searcy on Tuesday. Searcy Fire Chief Bill Baldridge addressed some at a command post set up at a church a few blocks from where Malik was last seen.
"We're trying to sweep the entire area," he said, urging searchers to call Malik's name and then listen carefully because he may be suffering from the effects of hypothermia and unable to respond loudly. "Stop and give yourself time. Don't rush it."
Among those joining the efforts Tuesday was Christina Davis of Judsonia, who also searched Monday morning.
"I've got two kids, and I'd want people searching if it happened to me," she said. "Can't do nothing but think about it. Might as well be out here trying to help ... I'm going to stay out here as long as they need me for as many days as they need me, I'll be out here."
Malik was wearing brown pants and a blue shirt when he was last seen. He is black, stands about 3 feet tall, weighs 40 pounds and has brown hair and brown eyes. He is also autistic, authorities said.
Anyone with information or who believes they may have spotted the boy should call police at (501) 268-3531.