NE NE - Ryan Larsen, 11, with autism, La Vista, 17 May 2021

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Case file added June 03 2022

Ryan D. Larsen​

  • larsen_ryan.jpg
  • larsen_ryan2.jpg

Details of Disappearance​

Ryan was last seen in La Vista, Nebraska on May 17, 2021. He was a sixth-grader at La Vista West Elementary School. After becoming frustrated with a math problem, Ryan went to another room to be by himself and calm down. An adult was supposed to be supervising him, but one supervisor had to leave the room and their replacement was late.
During the time he was not supervised, between 11:55 a.m. and 12:05 p.m., Ryan left the school campus. At 12:27 p.m., the school notified his mother that he was missing. At 12:29 p.m. the school called 911, and police arrived five minutes later to begin a search.
A neighbor saw Ryan at 1:45 p.m. at Southfield Apartments about two blocks from his school on 84th Street and Harrison Street. He was holding his umbrella at the time. Ryan lived at the apartment complex with his mother and one older sister, but he couldn't have gone inside his apartment after leaving school because he didn't have the key.
He has never been heard from again. More than six weeks later, his umbrella was found near a dumpster behind Southfield Apartments. This is the same place where he was last seen on the day of his disappearance. Ryan lived there with his mother and one older sister, but he couldn't have gone inside his apartment after leaving school because he didn't have the key.
Due to his autism, Ryan has a history of running away and hiding. The police referred to him as "the king of hide-and-seek." Due to his habit of running, he had been enrolled in Project Lifesaver, which equips vulnerable people with a GPS tracking bracelet so they can be found if they go missing. However, Ryan repeatedly cut off the tracker and eventually his mother stopped making him wear it.
In spite of his history, Ryan has never been gone this long before. He would usually be located nearby a short time after running away. His family describes him as a happy boy who enjoyed helping others, such as his school janitor. His father was never part of his life, but he has two other older sisters who were grown and out of the family home by the time of his disappearance.
Prior to his disappearance, Ryan had searched online for things such as "how to hide underground", "how to avoid being spotted" and "how to hide from police". Extensive searches have turned up no indication of his whereabouts. His case remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency​

  • La Vista Police Department 402-331-1582

Source Information​

 

Case file added June 03 2022

Ryan D. Larsen​

  • larsen_ryan.jpg
  • larsen_ryan2.jpg

Details of Disappearance​

Ryan was last seen in La Vista, Nebraska on May 17, 2021. He was a sixth-grader at La Vista West Elementary School. After becoming frustrated with a math problem, Ryan went to another room to be by himself and calm down. An adult was supposed to be supervising him, but one supervisor had to leave the room and their replacement was late.
During the time he was not supervised, between 11:55 a.m. and 12:05 p.m., Ryan left the school campus. At 12:27 p.m., the school notified his mother that he was missing. At 12:29 p.m. the school called 911, and police arrived five minutes later to begin a search.
A neighbor saw Ryan at 1:45 p.m. at Southfield Apartments about two blocks from his school on 84th Street and Harrison Street. He was holding his umbrella at the time. Ryan lived at the apartment complex with his mother and one older sister, but he couldn't have gone inside his apartment after leaving school because he didn't have the key.
He has never been heard from again. More than six weeks later, his umbrella was found near a dumpster behind Southfield Apartments. This is the same place where he was last seen on the day of his disappearance. Ryan lived there with his mother and one older sister, but he couldn't have gone inside his apartment after leaving school because he didn't have the key.
Due to his autism, Ryan has a history of running away and hiding. The police referred to him as "the king of hide-and-seek." Due to his habit of running, he had been enrolled in Project Lifesaver, which equips vulnerable people with a GPS tracking bracelet so they can be found if they go missing. However, Ryan repeatedly cut off the tracker and eventually his mother stopped making him wear it.
In spite of his history, Ryan has never been gone this long before. He would usually be located nearby a short time after running away. His family describes him as a happy boy who enjoyed helping others, such as his school janitor. His father was never part of his life, but he has two other older sisters who were grown and out of the family home by the time of his disappearance.
Prior to his disappearance, Ryan had searched online for things such as "how to hide underground", "how to avoid being spotted" and "how to hide from police". Extensive searches have turned up no indication of his whereabouts. His case remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency​

  • La Vista Police Department 402-331-1582

Source Information​

This is so much more info than I had heard or read about before which surprises me beings I live in Lavista. Makes me wonder how much info I’m missing in other cases and how lack of accurate info can hinder all missing/unsolved cases. Sad on all accounts. I hope his family is able to find closure by his discovery soon.
 
Prior to his disappearance, Ryan had searched online for things such as "how to hide underground", "how to avoid being spotted" and "how to hide from police". Extensive searches have turned up no indication of his whereabouts. His case remains unsolved. ^^rsbm
I'm lost for words here. Ryan is only 11 and I can't imagine having such thoughts at this age where my mind was occupied with whether or not the menu for my upcoming summer camp had been improved. I'm not aware if he was high functioning, where he was prepared and practiced to carry out this type of plan. o_O
 
I worry so much that he hid somewhere and got stuck then couldn’t get out.
Totally agree. Reminds me of that kid from Ohio a few years back with the furnace or fireplace...
This is so much more info than I had heard or read about before which surprises me beings I live in Lavista. Makes me wonder how much info I’m missing in other cases and how lack of accurate info can hinder all missing/unsolved cases. Sad on all accounts. I hope his family is able to find closure by his discovery soon.
I understand this emotion and it is very harrowing
I'm lost for words here. Ryan is only 11 and I can't imagine having such thoughts at this age where my mind was occupied with whether or not the menu for my upcoming summer camp had been improved. I'm not aware if he was high functioning, where he was prepared and practiced to carry out this type of plan. o_O
It makes me wonder if something had changed in his life recently, perhaps a new bf of mom or something, idk. something he did not like and wanted to get away from? because the google searches are serious :(
 
From the article:

Tammi said she intends to make a claim with Papillion-La vista Community Schools over the apparent death of her son, and she needs a death certificate to proceed.

Larsen alleges Ryan is dead due to the "negligence or wrongful act or omission" of the school, the Papillion-La Vista school district or its employees.

 
In her petition, Tammi Larsen said that due to his autism diagnosis and other medical conditions, Ryan "was exposed to a specific peril or tragedy resulting in probable death under circumstances that may be proved by clear and convincing evidence."
Ryan's disappearance became a cold case last November, and according to her court filings, Tammi said any efforts to find her son became a "recovery" effort, because he was presumed dead.
A hearing on the death petition is set for February in Sarpy County court.
 
1676701901740.png
His mother, Tammi Larsen, is asking a Sarpy County judge to appoint her in charge of her son’s affairs and rule him no longer missing.

With a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday, LaVista Police Chief Bob Lausten, who has been subpoenaed by the mom to testify, is now asking the judge to quash the subpoena.

On Friday, Lausten told the court, the Ryan Larsen case is an “ongoing search and criminal investigation”, and his testimony should not be allowed because it might make public specific confidential information, jeopardizing the investigation which includes federal, state and local law enforcement. If the subpoena isn't quashed Lausten wants the court to limit the scope of his testimony.

As of late Friday the judge had not ruled on Lausten’s request, according to on-line court records.

In her initial court filing, Tammi Larsen appears to blame the school for her son’s disappearance: "Just before he exited the building, employees of the La Vista Elementary School, saw Ryan Larsen at school. No immediate action was taken to prevent him from exiting the school doors. Nor was any immediate action taken to retrieve him from outside the school building.”

In a statement to KETV, a spokesperson for the school district said, "This is a tragic situation. Papillion La Vista Community Schools will continue to support Ryan's family, the staff and students of La Vista West Elementary and the community."
 
Basically have him declared legally dead as the mother intends to file a claim against the school district. (Seems like a lawsuit to me, but "file a claim" is the wording used.)

Source: KETV article linked to above.
Ok, this fits then better, i have not read it properly or thought in the direction of declaring dead. It sounded like giving up, which did not make sense, but now i get it. Thanks!
 
Why would she want this? (bolded part)
Mother needs her son declared deceased to continue her legal claim which requires a death certificate:

Tammi said she intends to make a claim with Papillion-La vista Community Schools over the apparent death of her son, and she needs a death certificate to proceed.

Larsen alleges Ryan is dead due to the "negligence or wrongful act or omission" of the school, the Papillion-La Vista school district or its employees.


 
Yeah, that's unusual, mothers of missing children wanting them declared dead, well it's rare. Usually moms cling to any shred of hope and fight for the search staying active.

It's such a terribly unfair situation. IMO She wants justice for her precious son, who wasn't kept safe at school. And this may be the only way to seek some justice, unfortunately. So this is how she's still fighting for him.
 

PAPILLION, Neb. (WOWT) - Appearing in court Tuesday to request for a death declaration for 11-year-old Ryan Larsen, lawyers for his mother dropped their subpoena for testimony from La Vista Police Chief Bob Lausten before proceeding with the petition.

Lausten had planned to fight the subpoena compelling him to testify at the Tuesday afternoon hearing in Sarpy County Court, where Tammi Larsen is petitioning to have her son — missing since May 2021 — declared to be “presumed dead.”

In Nebraska, a person is pronounced dead after 5 years of being missing, but the family of Ryan Larsen was in court Tuesday in hopes of pronouncing him dead sooner than that.

**********
After a 35-minute hearing in Sarpy county court, no decision was made on whether to declare Ryan Larsen legally dead. The judge said only that she would take it under advisement.

During those 35 minutes, Tammi Larsen testified about her son’s disabilities - Autism, turrets, seizures, and more.

Tammi says those disabilities make it impossible for him to care for himself.

Her attorneys then pointed to the intense searches for Ryan, which lasted several weeks. They reiterated the fact that if Ryan wanders near water, he can’t swim.

“Law enforcement has done their very best to do everything they can to find Ryan over the past 21 months and that hasn’t happened, the closest they had to a lead was when cadaver dogs had hit in a nearby recreation area where there is water,” Conway said Tuesday.

Conway argued that because of these factors, Ryan was exposed to “enhanced danger” and that the court should presume him to be dead.

Attorneys also argued that the ruling needed to be made now, not years from now, saying the statute of limitations to make a claim against the Papillion-La Vista school district is approaching.

“We’re doing it now because we think it’s necessary. In order for the Larsen family to pursue their legal rights against the school district for the negligence of the school district, we think it s a necessary step to go through this proceeding,” he added.

The Larsen family says they need to be able to hold school officials accountable as they believe the district is responsible for what happened to Ryan.

********
 
With it saying he loves to hide, my first thought was that he had got into one of them big dumpsters. I dont know if land fill was ever searched but my mind keeps going to that. There was a case with a man named Corrie McKeague who was last seen on CCTV near a large dumpster and i think he got into that after a night out and fell asleep.
 

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