Almost one year after 2-year-old Malik Drummond vanished from his father's Searcy home, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to a conviction in the case.
The offer came as Searcy police confirmed authorities have developed a new lead.
"We developed some information recently telling us that somebody knows something, and we just need them to come forward," police Sgt. Steve Hernandez said Tuesday.
"It's somebody who knows what happened," Hernandez added. "[This lead has] been developed here in the last couple weeks" or so. "We're just hoping this money will help push that person forward."
A missing-person poster displayed on the Searcy Police Department's website shows two pictures of the grinning bright-eyed, curly-haired boy. In one, his hands are stashed in his pockets as he leans against a kitchen cabinet.
The FBI poster says the reward is for the "identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or persons responsible" for Malik's disappearance Nov. 23, 2014 -- a Sunday.
Malik, who would have turned 3 on June 3, was last seen about 5:45 p.m. that November day in his home in the 700 block of West Park Avenue in Searcy and was reported missing about 6:30 p.m., the poster notes.
Malik is biracial, light-skinned and was about 3 feet tall tall at the time. He weighed about 40 pounds.
While there's still no evidence of foul play, Hernandez said, it's not been ruled out either.
Hernandez said Malik's family has continued to cooperate with investigators.
"No one has been ruled out yet" as a suspect, he said.
Malik's father, Jeff Clifton, and his girlfriend, Lesley Marcotte, told police that Malik was playing with his twin sister, Aryanna, in the living room when he disappeared. One of the two adults was asleep, and the other was bathing another child, police related.
Malik normally lived with his mother, Tanya Drummond, but had been staying at the home his father shared with Marcotte for two weeks. Police said Clifton told them he had learned in June of that year that he was the twins' father.
An extensive search in the days after Malik's disappearance turned up nothing.
"We don't know of any reason [to believe] that he is alive or is not alive," Hernandez said. "Naturally, we are still hoping."
On Sept. 11, Tanya Drummond posted a picture on Facebook of herself with Malik. Both were smiling.
"He was a mama boy," she wrote.
"I know I will be praying," someone else wrote.
"Thank you cause I sho need it," she replied.
Another person also named Drummond wrote, "A really nice picture. Hold it close to your heart Hope for the best. Love u."
Family members could not be reached for comment by telephone Tuesday. No published phone listings for them were available through directory assistance.
Anyone with information can remain anonymous when calling police or the FBI, but if people want to be considered for the reward they must identify themselves, Hernandez said.
The sergeant and the FBI's poster indicate calls should go to the FBI's tip line at (800) 225-5324 or to the Searcy Police Department at (501) 268-3531. Hernandez said it would be better to call the FBI.
State Desk on 11/11/2015