LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — As police continue working to identify a young boy found dead outside Las Vegas Friday, some in the area shared their shock while watching the scene unfold.
Metro Police told 8 News Now the child was discovered near Mountain Springs off State Route 160 around 7:30 a.m.
Officers said a group of hikers was on a trail in the area, when one woman found the boy near a bush.
“I’ve never seen anything like I saw today,” Larry Barlow, who lives in the area, said. “I mean, children? That’s just bad all the way around.”
Detectives describe the boy as:
- Hispanic
- 10-years-old
- 4’11, weighing around 123 pounds
However, many questions remain.
After scouring Southern Nevada databases, Metro Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said no local missing children match his description.
“Everything we can do, we are doing,” Spencer said during a news conference Friday evening. “It’s paramount that we are able to identify him, so we can begin the key points of this investigation.”
This is where the public’s help comes into play, as any tip or clue can shed light on this entire case.
“Someone has to recognize this young man,” Spencer said. “It could be a neighbor; it could be a friend of the family.”
This would also bring closure to the child, his life and anyone who loved him.
“That’s really sad,” Barlow concluded of the case.
Detectives believe as of Friday morning, the boy had been dead about 24 hours.
Officers said he is clearly the victim of a homicide but will not release any information about his injuries or how he died.
Police are urging anyone with any information to call Metro’s Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.
