An Endangered Missing Advisory for a 3-month-old infant was called off after the child was found safe. Malachi Reyes-Hills was last seen with Charles Hills at Castro Valley Boulevard and Strobridge Avenue on Thursday afternoon at approximately 4:20 p.m., according to the advisory. The California Highway Patrol canceled the alert once the child was located.
SFGATE reported that the baby was found and the advisory was canceled. The advisory involved an Alameda County case. Details about the relationship between Hills and the infant, along with the exact location where the child was ultimately found, are not described in the report.
Why an Advisory, Not an AMBER Alert
The case was broadcast as an Endangered Missing Advisory rather than an AMBER Alert.
Local law enforcement agencies retain sole responsibility for determining whether a case meets the statutory criteria to request an Endangered Missing Advisory, per the California Highway Patrol. That threshold was created under Assembly Bill 946, which established Government Code Section 8594.11. ENTAC's location, hours, staffing, and alert-system coordination were not detailed in the available materials.
The advisory described Hills as bald, with brown eyes, standing 6 feet tall and weighing 210 pounds, and wearing a black tank top and brown pants at the time he was last seen. He was believed to be on foot, per the alert. The alert also included information about Malachi. The original bulletin is available at the following link: CHP - Alerts
People who spot either of them are advised to call 9-1-1.
A Search Centered on a Major Transit Corridor
The last-seen location was in Castro Valley. The available sources do not describe the transportation corridors or geographic scope investigators considered in the opening hours of the search.
The available sources do not describe Castro Valley's governmental status, policing structure, or the Eden Township Substation's location, staffing, population coverage, or service area.
How the Alert Reached the Public
Endangered Missing Advisories are intended to alert the public. That broad reach has helped resolve similar cases quickly before. In October 2024, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office reported that two San Lorenzo teenagers were found safe, a case Hoodline covered when two San Lorenzo teens were found safe. The Reyes-Hills case ended with the advisory's cancellation.
