The stepmother of a 5-year-old Kansas boy missing since Saturday has been arrested on two counts of child endangerment.
According to the Wichita police, Emily Glass, 26, was arrested on Wednesday morning, accused of endangering Lucas Hernandez, who has been gone for nearly a week, as well as Lucas’ sibling. PEOPLE confirms that she was booked into jail on Wednesday afternoon.
“This case is now considered a criminal investigation,” Deputy Chief Gavin Seiler of the Wichita Police department told reporters on Wednesday. “The charges are related to new information gathered in this investigation.”
Police say that Glass called police on 6:15 p.m. police she last saw him in his bedroom at about 3 p.m. Saturday before she took a shower and fell asleep. Officers and dogs have searched his home, neighborhood and a nearby park. Police have found no physical evidence that the boy was abducted.
During the press conference, Seiler declined to detail the nature of the child endangerment charges.
It was not immediately clear if Glass has retained a lawyer or appeared in court to enter a plea.
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Born on Dec. 12, 2012, Lucas has brown hair and brown eyes, is about 4-feet tall and weighs about 60 pounds. He was last seen wearing black sweats, white socks and a gray shirt with a bear on it.
Calling Lucas “the sweetest, kindest, smartest most gentle little boy,” the boy’s father, told KSN-TV that Lucas “loves school, fishing, riding his bicycle and playing with his siblings.
“It makes me so proud to say I’m his father and that we love him very much. He’s a wonderful, helpful big brother. He’s never been the type to run off without asking permission to do so first. He must be terrified being away from his family with no way of finding us.
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“We are all hoping and praying,” his father added. “We love you Bubba.”
Lucas’s elementary school teacher wrote an emotional post on her Facebook page.
“Please pray for the safe return of the 5 year old that went missing,” the teacher wrote. “He is one of my students and a very sweet little boy. Please Please pray for him and his family. My heart is so heavy right now.”
The FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team is assisting the Wichita Police Department with the investigation.
If you have any information on Lucas or his whereabouts, the department asks that you call the tip line at 316-383-4661. Davidson said many have reached out willing to help search, but he said the best way to help right now is to share Lucas’ missing child poster.
• With reporting by KC BAKER