A 15-year-old Ankeny boy has been missing since he left his home around 4 p.m. Thursday, and he has not been in contact with his family since, according to Ankeny police. Authorities say they believe he remains in the Des Moines metro area, and they are asking the public for help tracking him down.
The Ankeny Police Department reported the teen missing on November 12, 2026, identifying him as DeAlyn Bailey, according to KCCI. A separate report from WHO13 confirms he was reported missing from his Ankeny home around 4 p.m. that Thursday and says he has not been in contact with his family since. Meanwhile, a report from Ottumwa Radio identifies him with a slightly different spelling, Dealyn Taevon Bailey, citing his listing in the Iowa Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse, which shows his last contact as November 12, 2026.
Conflicting Descriptions Complicate the Search
Descriptions of Bailey's appearance vary between the two outlets. WHO13's report describes him as a Black male with a light complexion, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds. Ottumwa Radio's account, by contrast, describes him as a Black male standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 218 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. The discrepancy between the two descriptions has not been resolved in either report.
What the reports do agree on is what Bailey was wearing when he was last seen: a black zip-up hoodie, jeans and black shoes, per the station's report. Ankeny investigators say they believe he is still in the area, and KCCI reports he is believed to remain in the metro area.
How to Report a Sighting
Anyone who recognizes Bailey is asked not to approach him. Instead, the public is urged to note his location, what he is doing, and any other identifying information before contacting authorities, according to the same account from Ottumwa Radio. People with information about his whereabouts can contact Polk County Dispatch at 911 or (515) 286-3333, extension 5, per WHO13's reporting.
Tips can also be submitted online at missingpersons.iowa.gov, by calling 515-725-6036, or by contacting the Ankeny Police Department directly, Ottumwa Radio notes. It remains unclear whether Bailey has since been located, as neither report has provided an update on the search's status.
