Baltimore Police are asking for the public's help finding 5-year-old Kenzo Hancock, who was last seen just before midnight on the 400 block of Manse Court wearing only a black t-shirt and a diaper. The boy vanished around 11 p.m. Tuesday, and as of Wednesday morning, investigators had not released further details about the circumstances of his disappearance.
According to a post from Baltimore Police, anyone with information about Kenzo's whereabouts is urged to call 911. The department's official X account, which shared the alert, is not monitored around the clock, meaning the emergency line remains the fastest way to reach investigators with a tip. Manse Court sits within the 21201 ZIP code, inside Baltimore City's Western Police District, according to Geographic.org.
The block falls under the jurisdiction of the Baltimore Police Department's Western District, which is headquartered at 1034 N. Mount Street, per the department's own district listings. Residents looking to submit tips in person or reach officers assigned to the case can use that station as a point of contact, though calling 911 remains the department's primary request for anyone with information right now.
Missing Child Western District
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) August 19, 2026
Baltimore Police need your help in locating 5-year-old Kenzo Hancock.
Kenzo was last seen on August 18, 2026, at approximately 11p.m. , in the 400 block of Manse Court. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and diaper.
Anyone with information… pic.twitter.com/xQZ3tVeinv
No Waiting Period Required for Missing Child Reports
Some families mistakenly believe police require a 24-hour waiting period before taking a missing person report, but that is not the case in Maryland. State law permits immediate reporting, and law enforcement agencies urge guardians to contact 911 right away rather than delay, according to the Aberdeen Police Department. Once a report is made, federal law adds another layer of urgency: under the National Child Search Assistance Act, agencies are required to enter missing children under 18 into the FBI's National Crime Information Center database within two hours of receiving the report, per the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
That rapid entry requirement helps explain how missing child cases like Kenzo's move quickly through law enforcement systems even before a wider public alert goes out. Statewide AMBER Alerts, however, are reserved for a narrower set of circumstances. Maryland State Police criteria require confirmed evidence of an abduction, imminent risk of serious harm or death, and actionable descriptive details about a suspect or vehicle before a statewide alert is activated. Bulletins like the one issued for Kenzo can circulate without meeting that higher bar, which is why an active search can be underway without triggering an AMBER Alert.
City Resources and Recent Precedent
Baltimore has recently expanded tools aimed at protecting vulnerable young children. In April, the Baltimore Police Department introduced a voluntary Neurodivergent Individuals Database along with identification keychains, designed to help officers quickly recognize and assist lost or eloped children and other residents with sensory or communication needs. Statewide, the Maryland Center for Missing and Unidentified Persons, operated under the Department of State Police, coordinates resources and supports local departments and families during these investigations.
Baltimore has seen this kind of search end well before. In March, Baltimore Police and federal partners safely located 9-year-old Tristan King following a multi-agency search that leaned heavily on tips from the community, according to the Baltimore City Mayor's Office. That case illustrated how public vigilance and cooperation between agencies can make a difference in the earliest hours of a search.
National data offers some additional context, though it does not diminish the urgency of finding Kenzo. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children supported 32,167 missing child cases across the country in 2025, with roughly 90 percent of those children successfully recovered. Separately, FBI analysis of National Crime Information Center data shows that about 70 percent of all missing person reports are resolved within 48 to 72 hours, as people are located or return home on their own. Just weeks ago, Hoodline reported on a Chantilly boy possibly in Baltimore, underscoring how frequently the region's investigators are called on to search for missing children.
Anyone with information about Kenzo Hancock's location is asked to contact police immediately by dialing 911.
