TEXAS, USA — A search for a missing boy from North Texas continues after police said his family has left the country.
Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, 6, was reported missing Saturday morning when an AMBER Alert was issued. The alert was discontinued that night, but Everman police coordinated an Endangered Missing Alert for Noel instead.
According to police, the alert was changed once they discovered that his mom, stepdad, and siblings all fled the country on a Turkish Airlines flight bound for Istanbul, Turkey on March 23.
"Six-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez is still missing," police said Sunday. "Noel suffers from multiple disabilities...and chronic lung disease, which requires oxygen at times."
Anyone with information on Noel's disappearance is asked to contact 911 or the Everman Police Department at 817-293-2923.
Timeline of Noel's disappearance
- March 20
Everman police said they received an anonymous tip that family members have not seen Noel since November 2022. Noel was living with his mom, Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, along with four biological siblings, twin half-siblings, and a stepdad.
Officers conducted a welfare check at the home when they were told by Cindy that Noel was residing in Mexico with his biological father since November. Police said there were no other indications that they needed to investigate further.
- March 23
Child Protective Investigations contacted Everman police again about Noel, saying that family members continued to be worried about his whereabouts.
CPI also confirmed to police that they tracked down the biological father in Mexico, who told investigators that he was deported before Noel's birth and that he never met his son. Homeland Security records confirmed what the father told investigators.
CPI then attempted to make contact with Cindy about her children and their enrollment at school with no success.
Police confirmed that there have been previous investigations and actions taken against Cindy. She also has an extensive criminal history, according to police.
- March 25
According to police, it was determined that Noel was not in the custody of other family members, which prompted the AMBER Alert and an arrest warrant for Cindy.
"Based upon the totality of the circumstances, an AMBER Alert for Noel...was warranted," police said.
Around 9 p.m. Saturday, police learned that Cindy, the stepfather and Noel's six siblings fled the United States on a Turkish Airlines flight bound for Istanbul on March 23, before the AMBER Alert was issued. Noel was not listed as a passenger on the flight.
"We currently do not have any physical evidence on Noel's status as a missing person," police said. "What we do know is that we have a 6-year-old disabled boy...that is missing and that the mother is not willing to cooperate...to ensure the child is safe."
Police said Noel's stepfather is an immigrant from India, and that they're trying to determine the final destination of the flight that the family was on. They also said that the lack of physical evidence makes it difficult to continue a criminal investigation.
- March 26
Everman police say they recovered the 2012 Chevy Silverado associated with Noel's disappearance, but that he is still missing. According to CBS News, the truck was found at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.