Police, volunteers resume large-scale search for 6-year-old Noel in Everman, Texas

The search for 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez resumed Saturday morning in two large areas of Everman after searches were paused last weekend.

About 50 people from the Everman Police Department and Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR) gathered outside of the Everman Civic Center and began searching multiple sites at around 9 a.m. Saturday. The searches continued through Saturday evening without finding any apparent evidence that would lead to the location of the boy’s remains. Additional searches were not planned on Sunday.

Noel was first reported missing in March, when Texas Child Protective Services received an anonymous tip that the boy hadn’t been seen since November. An Amber Alert was issued March 25.

Authorities transitioned the search to a death investigation April 6, saying evidence indicates the boy is likely dead.

Police obtained warrants to charge Noel’s mother and stepfather with endangering and abandoning a child, and authorities said they are trying to extradite the couple from India, where they fled with six other children days before the Amber Alert was issued.

Warrants for Noel’s mother and stepfather have been turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to police.

There has been no update regarding the mother’s and stepfather’s location or whereabouts after fleeing the country, police said, but they believe additional charges would help in extraditing Noel’s parents back to the United States.

“We obviously think there’s something nefarious that occurred here,” said Everman Police Chief Craig W. Spencer. “So it would likely lead to some sort of criminal charge. What that criminal charge exactly is yet, we won’t know until we build that evidence.”

Police and TEXSAR volunteers began searching the “southern area first,” Spencer said on Saturday morning. “Once that search area is complete, then we will move to the northern search area.”

The first search site is located off the 3700 block of Shelby Road. The second search site is located off of Forest Hill Drive, just over a mile north of Shelby Road.

“Some of the areas that we’re searching are pretty heavily wooded and align with the creek bed, so it just depends on how long it takes to really work through that,” said Spencer. “We’re not going to miss anything, so they’re going to take their time in doing those searches. It could take all day. We could go into the evening. It just depends on how they progress.”

The areas that police and TEXSAR are searching are based on analyzed data, Spencer said.

“We don’t want to do any just widespread random searches because when we do that, typically, the searchers get worn out. We tend to miss things. We can’t afford to miss anything on this case with such a lack of physical evidence already existing in this case,” said Spencer. “We just can’t afford to miss anything.”

Both of the larger search sites equal about 215 acres in total, according to police.

“There are additional small search areas that are being handled by very small teams of investigators,” said Spencer. “We are not disclosing those locations at this time.”

Investigators are utilizing drones and human remains detection K-9 unit dogs. Searchers also have boats available if they need to enter a body of water nearby.

“Lots of prayers today,” Spencer said at the civic center. “Hopefully we come up with something.”

Searches scheduled for last weekend were canceled so investigators could focus on data analysis, which police said has helped them determine “purposeful” areas to search.

Spencer said that investigators plan to hold their next press conference early next week unless there are major developments before then.

“I’m hopeful that today will lead to some sort of evidence at least, if nothing else. Then either way today’s going to be a win for us because it’s going to show one or two things,” said Spencer. “It’s either going to provide us evidence in the case or it’s going to show us where he’s not, which will also still help us further this investigation.”