Maybe someone who does have a Twitter account could straight up ask David Goins (the reporter) to find out who was the last to see Malik before he vanished. I find it hard to believe this question hasn't been asked or answered already. IMO, this should have been one of the first questions asked even for a rookie reporter.
So if they don't have a straight answer, and they say so, which this reporter said as much, this is what this person has told me. Meanwhile, the same person tells another reporter another thing that contradicts what other reporters heard, and then LE knows what she's said to both reporters and them. it is what it is.
skibaboo, off your great maps, do these very rough estimations of paths to water seem any more feasible to you for a 2 year old out on his own, about half an hour + before dark?
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/35.25543,-91.7485741/701-799+W+Park+Ave,+Searcy,+AR+72143,+USA/35.2572158,-91.7491287/35.2607424,-91.7182367/Riverside+Park/@35.2630254,-91.7328848,5594m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m17!4m16!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x87d3a978051a2529:0x7a9717021c174eb7!2m2!1d-91.7451334!2d35.2468803!1m0!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0xb30a2a5d7d7c0eb6!2m2!1d-91.716782!2d35.278927!3e2