The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released an age-progressed image depicting what Christopher “Chris” Abeyta might look like at 39 years old, and his family said newly surfaced information about the night he vanished could help in the decades-old investigation.
Abeyta was last seen in his crib at his family’s home in Colorado Springs on July 15, 1986. He was 7 months old at the time.
Denise Alves, Abeyta’s sister, told FOX21 that the family thinks the new information “will propel his investigation.”
Why it Matters
The abduction remains unsolved after nearly four decades.
The family is asking Colorado Governor Jared Polis to allow the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to take over the case.
“We don’t want this to be another missed opportunity,” Alves said.
What To Know
Alves told FOX21 that her father gave police the name of a person they believed was stalking the family at the time of Abeyta’s disappearance. She said officials never interviewed this person.
“This person of interest has a relative who stated that he was her alibi that night. And the new information we have is that this individual, their story has changed,” Alves said.
Multiple age-progressed images of Abeyta have been created over the years. The family told KRDO13 Investigates that the photo is just one tool in this investigation.
“There’s got to be, hey, they don’t have infant pictures of up until seven months old. There are questions about their identity,” Alves said. “And then they have to look at Christopher’s case information.”
What People Are Saying
Christopher Abeyta’s family, in a statement shared by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: “For nearly four decades, our family has worked tirelessly to keep Christopher’s story in the public eye. We hope this new image will reach someone who can help us find the truth about what happened to him, and, if he is alive, that someone will recognize him. We pray every day that one piece of information will come in that can finally give our family the answers we have been searching for all these years.”
Colorado Springs Police Department, in a statement shared by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: “We are committed to searching for answers in the case of Christopher Abeyta. The case remains open, and detectives with the CSPD Cold Case Unit continue to pursue leads and conduct investigative follow-up.”
What Happens Next
Anyone with information about Abeyta’s disappearance is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.
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