Texas Search & Rescue team joins search for 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez
EVERMAN (CBSNewsTexas) - First responder organization Texas Search & Rescue (TEXSAR) has joined the Everman Police Department in their search for Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, 6.
Professionally trained volunteers are using drones, blood hounds and horses to find the boy.
"Anything that looks suspicious or looks out of place that could be an evidentiary item… We are taking our time and we are being very thorough in those searches," described the man leading the TEXSAR missing person unit, Todd Snyder.
Last week, Everman police announced that the search for Rodriguez-Alvarez had changed from an endangered missing person case to a death investigation. They said he was last seen alive in October of last year. But they still don't have any physical evidence of what happened to him.
"They're really searching for anything and everything that could potentially be linked, including Noel himself," said Everman chief of police Craig Spencer.
All day, search crews combed through the wooded areas near the home where Noel and his family lived and in other strategic locations around Everman.
A backhoe was brought into the backyard of the home Monday evening to dig up a patio behind the house.
"Every case is important but I guess a special place in your heart is when it involves a child that's missing or lost," said Snyder.
Everman police said they're working with the FBI to try and bring the child's mother and stepfather back to the U.S. Cindy and Arshdeep Singh are believed to be in India where they flew last month when police started asking about the boy. Chief Spencer said he hopes the search will help bring closure for the community.
"It does mean a lot to be able to to give something to the community but we definitely want to give more," said Spencer. "We want to give answers and we want to give justice."
A candlelight vigil was held for Rodriguez-Alvarez outside of the civic center in Everman Monday night, bringing out many members of the community.
