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FBI Baltimore Joining Search For Missing 4-Year-Old Malachi Lawson

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The FBI is joining the search for missing 4-year-old Malachi Lawson.

FBI Baltimore tweeted late Friday night that they are joining the search.

Volunteers are also out searching for the missing 4-year-old boy in Baltimore. The boy has a mild case of autism, according to police.

"At that point, if this child has some spectrum issues, he might not act as a typical 4-year-old would," a member of the Baltimore Police Department search team said. "He could just be sitting on somebody's porch, he could be maybe in a tree, we don't really know, but at 24 hours missing, we're obviously very alarmed and worried and want to make sure this child gets returned to his mother."

Malachi Lawson was last seen on August 1, 2019, in the 4500 block of Rogers Avenue.

He was visiting his grandmother in northwest Baltimore.

WJZ was told that Malachi and his grandmother were playing outside. When his grandmother went into the house to get snacks, she came back outside, and he was gone.

"At that point, I believe police were notified. They were searching all evening, they had helicopters in the area searching. We were notified this morning to assist and we gathered about 100 volunteers to assist in the search and we have been doing that ever since."

Baltimore Police Department Commissioner Michael Harrison said that it seems unusual that a child this young would be missing this long and has not ruled out foul play.

"For that age, personally, it's unusual," Harrison said. "We are doing our due diligence to make sure we get that information out to the community."

"We have bloodhounds that are searching the area," Harrison said. "We have FBI, help from our FBI agents who are helping us going door to door working with resources."

Malachi was last seen wearing a white tank top, khaki shorts, and black flip flops. His hair was braided and he is missing a front tooth.

Search for Maryland 4 year old
Courtesy photo
Search for Maryldn 4 year old
Courtesy photo

Anyone with information as to Malachi Lawson's whereabouts is asked to call the Missing Person's Unit at 443-984-7385.

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