PORTLAND, Ore. -- The disappearance of Skyline School second-grader Kyron Horman has gained the attention of many national media outlets and personalities, including John Walsh of "America's Most Wanted."
Walsh, whose son was kidnapped and killed as a 6-year-old, said in an interview with FOX 12 on Thursday that the lack of information in the case and the time that has passed does not bode well for finding Kyron alive.
"As the time goes on, the odds get less that they're going to find him alive, but we never give up hope," Walsh said. "After finding Jaycee Dugard after 18 years and Elizabeth Smart after eight months … you have to keep the investigation as intense as you can."
Seven-year-old Kyron disappeared June 4. His stepmother told deputies that she last saw him in the school hallway walking toward class. Later that afternoon, she called the school and said Kyron failed to show up at his school bus stop later in the afternoon.
Walsh said the school should have automatically notified the parents when Kyron was not in class.
"I think a couple mistakes were made in the beginning by the school not calling the parents ... I've been involved in hundreds of cases where crucial hours were lost when the child wasn't discovered missing until the parents go to the bus stop and the child doesn't show up later in the afternoon," Walsh said. "That shouldn't happen in any school in America."
Portland Public Schools have since added the automatic call system to Kyron's school.
Multnomah County sheriff's deputies have not said whether any evidence has been found, but, four days ago, they announced the boy's disappearance is a criminal investigation.
"My gut feeling is they have a person of interest and they're trying to make sure they don't make mistakes that would compromise the case," Walsh said. "Of course, we all have to hold out hope this person is keeping Kyron alive and that the best end result is this boy will be gotten back alive."
Since the announcement of the criminal investigation, divers have been spotted in Portland-area waterways. Deputies have not announced any suspects or persons of interest in the case.
"I'm sure police are looking at family members very hard. That's a normal procedure, but there should be a parallel investigation going on in case it's a crime of opportunity -- a sexual predator or a convicted sex offender -- who may have been tracking this little boy, who may have seen him at school a couple times and may have
By Robert Cruickshank
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