Investigation Discovery to air segment on Codi Bigsby, missing Hampton 4-year-old
The case of a 4-year-old Hampton boy who has been missing since January will be featured on a national cable TV show Wednesday.
“In Pursuit with John Walsh,” a show on the Investigation Discovery network, will air the segment about the Codi Bigsby case at 9 p.m. Wednesday.
The program will also be streamed beginning Wednesday on discovery+, an Internet-based streaming service.
The toddler’s father, Cory Jamar Bigsby Sr., reported Codi missing on Jan. 31, telling police he last saw the boy asleep in his bed around 2 a.m., but that he was gone by later in the morning.
But Hampton Police have been openly skeptical of that account, and been trying to pinpoint the last time Codi was seen by anyone else. Bigsby stayed at Hampton police headquarters for more than three days after he reported the boy missing. He was eventually booked on unrelated charges on Feb. 3.
Bigsby was initially charged with seven counts of felony child neglect, accused of leaving his four children — ages 2 through 5 — unattended on various occasions.
He was later charged with 23 additional charges — 15 child neglect charges for allegedly leaving his children home alone, two child abuse charges, four child neglect charges related to the alleged child abuse, and two misdemeanor counts of failing to get medical attention for an injured child.
None of the 30 counts involve Codi’s disappearance.
Bigsby and his attorney, Amina Matheny-Willard, say he had nothing to do with his son’s disappearance and contend he’s being scapegoated amid a flawed police investigation and prosecution. He’s being held without bond, with a trial date is slated for Nov. 7.
While John Walsh’s show features unsolved violent crimes, his son, Callahan Walsh, joins his father every episode. The younger Walsh works with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in providing age-progression photos and descriptions in the hopes that viewers can provide new leads on missing children.
Codi Bigsby is estimated to weigh between 60 and 80 pounds and was last seen wearing all-black clothing and Spiderman flip-flops.
Viewers with information on Codi’s whereabouts are asked to call the network at 1-833-3-PURSUE, or submit the tips online at InPursuitTips.com. The phone number and tips line are staffed by trained staff who will accept anonymous tips and will alert the proper authorities.
Those with information can also call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Hampton police at 757-727-6111.
Peter Dujardin, 757-897-2062, pdujardin@dailypress.com
