Amari Christiansen found, appears to be in good health
JACKSONVILLE N.C. (WITN) - Police said they have found Amari Christiansen, a six-year-old boy who has been missing for nearly a day.
Jacksonville police said the child was found a block from his home.
Police said Christiansen got off his school bus at 4:00 p.m. Thursday and had been playing with other children when he was last seen around 5:45 p.m.
Chief Mike Yaniero said the six-year-old told them he was hiding under a mobile home and fell asleep. The chief said the child came out this afternoon because he was hungry, walked up to a neighbor who then alerted officers.
Yaniero said Christiansen is in good health and is undergoing an evaluation from EMS. The chief said once that is completed he will go home to his parents.
“When a child goes missing it devastates a community. This is the best outcome we could have had,” said the chief. “We are thankful that we have a community that comes together.”
More than 100 searchers were looking for the child in and around the Holiday City Mobile Home Park.
The chief said they continue to investigate the circumstances of the child’s disappearance and where he was during the time he was missing.
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Jacksonville police say more than 100 people are searching for six-year-old Amari Christiansen.
The child was last seen late Thursday afternoon in the Holiday City Mobile Home Park on Corbin Road.
Police Chief Mike Yaniero said the child got off the school bus around 4:00 p.m. and was playing with other children. The chief said he was last seen around 5:45 p.m.
Federal agents are assisting with the search of Christiansen and a statewide Amber Alert was issued for the child.
Police have expanded their search area from the mobile home park to a one-square-mile area.
Yaniero said helicopters, dogs, and boats have been used today in the extensive search. The mobile home park adjoins Northeast Creek.
Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-20s overnight. “We realize the temperature drops tonight and we are committed to finding him as quickly as we can,” the chief said.
The chief is asking people in the area to review their doorbell cameras and businesses to look at their surveillance footage to see if they have anything useful that will help with the search.
The chief said they have interviewed people at the school, including classmates. He would not say whether the boy has been classied as missing anytime before Thursday.
Christiansen is described as being a black male, approximately 4′0″ tall, and weighs approximately 80 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.
He was last seen wearing a dark navy blue coat, black long sleeve shirt with the wording “Game On,” blue sweatpants, and black shoes. Christiansen is also believed to be carrying his Power Ranger Backpack and a lunch box with either Minecraft or Paw Patrol.
If anyone has seen Christiansen or knows his whereabouts, they should contact the Jacksonville Police Department at 910-938-6414 or Crime Stoppers at 910-938-3273.
This is a developing story and WITN will continue to update it as we learn more.
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