After a days-long search that gripped the community, 10-year-old Alexander Lewis Jr. has been found safe, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) confirmed. An observant local reportedly saw the young boy and did not hesitate to quickly alert the authorities. In response, a deputy from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office took the initiative to ensure Alexander was returned to his family. Officials expressed their gratitude, emphasizing the crucial role the public played in this successful outcome. "The Portland Police Bureau would like to thank the community for assistance with this case," said the PPB in a brief statement.
Concern grew after Alexander had not been seen since Friday when he left his father's residence near East Burnside Street and Southeast 146th Avenue. It was believed that he may have attempted to go to his mother’s home, some distance away, but never arrived. This uncertainty pushed detectives to insistently make public appeals, emphasizing the boy's vulnerable status as a missing endangered child due to his age and the length of time he had been away from home.
Before being found, Alexander was last observed getting off a bus near Southeast 202nd Avenue and Northwest Division Street in Gresham, as detailed by authorities. The description given by the PPB placed Alexander as a Black male, approximately 5’6”, and weighing around 130 pounds. The information spread quickly, becoming a plea for the eyes and ears of the city to be vigilant, to watch out for a young soul adrift, potentially alone in the sprawl of urbanity that could so easily overwhelm the senses of a child.
For more details on Alexander's case and the PPB's response, visit their official report at Portland Police Bureau.
