Family Searches For Missing Aurora Boy In Western Illinois
UPDATED: 5/17/2011 4:33 p.m.
STERLING, Ill. (WBBM/CBS) -- Relatives of an Aurora woman, who committed suicide in a Rockford motel room, are out searching for the woman's missing son in western Illinois.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Nancy Harty reports, the last time anyone saw Timmothy Pitzen, 6, was Friday afternoon. He was with his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells.
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Sometime afterward, Fry-Pitzen committed suicide. She was found dead on Saturday in a Rockford motel room after slitting her wrists. Her car has been located, and the family says the fact that Timmothy's car seat and backpack were not inside may be a positive sign that the boy is with somebody else.
Fry-Pitzen left a note behind indicating that Timmothy was fine, and in the care of unnamed people. Aurora police are talking to friends and relatives of the mother, but since then, there has been no sign of the boy.
Cell phone records show Fry-Pitzen and her son were near Rock Falls or Sterling, in western Illinois, before she shut off her phone.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports that credit card receipts also indicate that Amy Fry-Pitzen bought clothes and toys for Timmothy on Thursday, about a day before she committed suicide.
Timmothy's grandmother, Linda Pitzen, says relatives are hanging posters about her missing grandson in that area. Other family members are distributing flyers in Davenport, Iowa.
"We're just hoping that there's somebody out there that might have seen her switch cars or seats with somebody, or something," she said.
She says the family is refusing to believe that Tim is anything but alive.
Linda Pitzen says the fact that Timmothy's Spider-Man backpack and car seat are missing from Fry Pitzen's car is a very good sign that he's alive.
The news is also hard for Timmothy's kindergarten classmates and teachers at Greenman Elementary school.
"He's one of those kids who always had a smile on his face," said principal Nick Baughman. "A happy kid. A happy kid."
Timmothy is described as 4 feet 2 inches tall and 70 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing green shorts and a Spider-Man backpack.
Anyone with information is asked to call Aurora police.
