Las Vegas NowGrandmother Makes Public Appeal For Missing Grandson

Grandmother Makes Public Appeal For Missing Grandson

A frightened grandmother makes her first public appeal Thursday night for help finding her missing grandson. Metro says the little boy's mother who does not have legal custody of her son, kidnapped the child last month. 

Eyewitness News talked exclusively with the boy's grandmother and detectives Thursday about why police waited so long to go public with the case.

Time is critical in any missing person's case -- especially when you're searching for a kidnapped child. But in the case of 3-year-old Ethan Foley, there was no Amber Alert issued and it took a month for police to finally alert the media. 

Now, we find out why police waited and why Ethan's grandmother fears too much time has passed.

Sharon Foley-Pryor, Ethan's grandmother said, "I'm frightened for him... so frightened for him."

It has been four weeks since Ethan Foley's paternal grandmother -- his sole legal guardian -- received the phone call from her grandson's babysitter.

"I was just hysterical!" said Foley. 

Three-year old Ethan had been taken by his biological mother -- 29-year-old Noel Raleigh and his aunt Stephanie Martinez.

"Ethan's mother lives a very dangerous lifestyle; it involves drugs and other illegal activities," said Foley.

That same night --- Sharon Foley-Pryor says, with her legal guardianship documents in hand, she and her attorney pleaded with Metro to issue a statewide Amber Alert for Ethan -- but she was told the case didn't meet the criteria.

"They said because she didn't say that she was going to hurt him, that it couldn't be an Amber Alert," said Foley.

Metro Missing Persons detective, Sandy Southwell, confirms there must be an imminent threat of danger to enact an Amber Alert. Metro says parental abductions are also the most complex kidnapping cases they deal with.

Det. Southwell said, "We didn't have the proper documents to show who had custody and who didn't, which is what makes these cases so much more difficult to investigate."
 
Metro says it took one week to verify the paperwork and get a family court judge to issue an order to pick up Ethan.  

"It gets very frustrating, but we don't stop looking. We continue to look," said Det. Southwell.
   
But detectives say it took another three weeks to confirm Raleigh's troubled past -- now police admit Ethan could be in serious danger and they've turned to the media for help.

"I'm very concerned," said Det. Southwell.

Ethan's grandmother said, "I'm very frustrated because I asked them from day one to look at this as a case in which Ethan was in grave danger."

But 36 hours after Ethan's picture finally hit the airwaves, police are also concerned that the trail may have grown cold.

"We've had some very minor leads," said Det. Southwell.

But nothing that has panned out. Ethan's grandmother worries that precious time was lost to the system -- and Ethan's mother may have left the state with her grandson. Still, she refuses to give up hope.

"Oh, Ethan, I miss you so much and I'm still trying to get you back. You will be with me again. You will be with me again," said Foley.

Right now, Ethan's grandmother believes their only hope rests with our community. She's asking the public to be alert -- and to remember -- though Ethan's hair color could be changed -- the fact he's missing both front teeth is a defining characteristic. 

Anyone who sees him or his mother or aunt is urged to call 828-LOST.

Email your comments to Reporter Alyson McCarthy.