Amber Alert: Police say missing toddler's dad "may harm the child"
HOUSTON — Authorities have issued an Amber Alert for a missing toddler from Springfield, Missouri who is believed to be in the Houston area with his father. Police say Eli Bandurovskiy's father Viktor has previously made threats to the nearly 2-year-old child, and has a history of domestic abuse, reports CBS affiliate KHOU.
Police say the child and a vehicle were taken from the boy's mother on Dec. 22. Investigators believe Viktor Bandurovskiy stole the car while fleeing with the child.
"Through the investigation police have learned that he may harm the child," the Springfield Police Department wrote in a Sunday evening Facebook post.
#AMBERALERT The Springfield Police Department is investigating a report of a missing and endangered child and is asking...
Posted by Springfield, MO Police Department on Sunday, December 24, 2017
A cellphone ping around 1:00 p.m. on Dec. 24 indicates Viktor Bandurovskiy may be in Houston.
Eli is described as white with blonde hair and hazel eyes. The child is about 2 feet tall and weighs about 32 pounds. He was last seen wearing blue/gray pajama pants, a gray undershirt, a navy cardigan with two red horizontal stripes and large buttons, and blue/lime green tennis shoes.
Viktor was last seen driving the missing white Scion TC with Arkansas Plate #940MNT. He has been described as white, 5 feet 10 inches tall and about 150 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black button-up t-shirt and dark jeans.
Anyone with information related to the missing child is asked to call Springfield Police at 417-864-1810 or 417-864-1803.