A search is underway in Menands after a young boy went missing Sunday afternoon, prompting a New York State Missing Child Alert and a Local Area Emergency declaration for the Albany area.
According to the alert, the child, identified by authorities as Aharib Nagi, was last seen around 4:20 p.m. Sunday, June 28, on Park Drive in the Village of Menands.
Some reports circulating online have referred to the boy as Aharon Nagi and listed his age as 9, though the official alert lists him as 7 years old. He is described as approximately 4 feet 10 inches tall, weighing about 70 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Investigators say the boy has autism and is non-verbal, and he may need medical attention.
At the time he was last seen, he was wearing a light colored T-shirt, dark pants, and no shoes. Some accounts describe the shirt as white and the pants as brown, but all reports agree he was likely not wearing shoes when he disappeared.
Civil Authorities and Emergency Response
The Civil Authorities issued a Local Area Emergency for Albany, New York, beginning at 8:57 p.m. Sunday and set to continue until 4:57 a.m. Monday.
Menands Police have asked residents in the area to help by checking home security cameras covering at least the last five hours, as well as sheds, garages, and any other exterior structures where the boy could be hiding or sheltering.
Authorities are stressing that even small clips or motion alerts from doorbell cameras or driveway cameras could be useful, since a child this age may move quickly and quietly between properties.
Residents are also being asked to physically check enclosed spaces on their property, since a non-verbal child experiencing distress may seek out a quiet or hidden place rather than respond to searchers calling his name.
How to Help and Who to Contact
Anyone who sees the boy or has any information about his whereabouts is urged to call 911 immediately.
Residents can also reach out directly to local authorities at 518-765-2352 with tips, camera footage, or sightings. The Albany County Sheriff’s Office has also been listed as a point of contact in connection with the search, at 518-765-5979.
Officials are asking the public not to wait if they notice anything unusual on camera footage from the last several hours, even if it seems minor, since any piece of information could help narrow down where the boy may have gone.
Search efforts are continuing through the night as part of the emergency declaration, with law enforcement coordinating with residents across the area.
This remains a developing situation, and updates are expected as more information comes in from investigators and from the public response to the call for camera footage and property checks.
