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Police Say Missing Disabled Boy Case Moving ‘Towards Criminal Investigation’

But Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer said that he’s still “not convinced” the 6-year-old is dead.

Authorities looking into the disappearance of a missing disabled child from Texas say the case could soon turn into a “criminal investigation.” Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, 6, has not been seen for months, according to Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer, with the boy’s family having left the U.S. on a flight to Turkey days before an Amber Alert was issued over the weekend. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Spencer said Noel’s mother, Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, and Noel’s stepfather traveled onwards to India. “It is swinging more towards a criminal investigation,” Spencer said. “We do have supporting circumstantial evidence and things that are leading us in that direction.” He later added that the investigation was steering towards the belief that Noel “might be deceased,” but law enforcement did not yet have conclusive proof. “I’m not convinced that he’s deceased yet,” Spencer said. “Of course, if we get information that points us in that direction, absolutely, we’ll be more than happy to organize searches.”