The search continues for an Indiana boy who police learned was missing this past September — even though he has not been seen in five years.
Hayden Manis, 4, was last seen by family members at a Christmas gathering in 2019. However, the Star Press reported that investigators spoke with witnesses who said they saw Manis in 2020.
According to WTHR, Manis was living with his father at the time of his disappearance. The father allegedly had issues with drugs and alcohol which affected his parenting — as he and the boy’s mother lost custody in 2016 for testing positive for cocaine. The same year, Manis and his father were reportedly found in a hotel with heroin.
Manis’ father allegedly told police that the Department of Children and Families took his son in 2022 and gave him to his mother. Authorities said this never happened.
The Star Press reported that Manis’ father — who likely knows what happened to the boy — died of a drug overdose in December 2024. His death came days after he was allegedly found in possession of meth and heroin.
According to the news outlet, investigators have conducted multiple searches, including one involving cadaver dogs.
WTHR reported that a search was conducted at a home in Eaton where Manis’ father lived last year. Police also searched a home in Munie where Manis’ father lived with an ex-girlfriend and the ex’s family.
Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said Manis’ family is the primary person of interest. He also told WTHR that police interviewed Manis’ ex-girlfriend and her father, who owned the home. The family eventually sold the home and moved out of state.
No charges have been filed in this case.
“It’s haunting. It’s definitely haunting, some of the facts of this case,” Hoffman said. “Based on the evidence I’ve seen and the interviews that have been conducted, I do not have a reason to believe that [he is alive].”
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[Feature Photo: Handout]