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

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Calcano said:
The discovery of the umbrella has unfortunately, in my mind, not cleared anything up in regards to what may have happened to poor Ryan. The biggest takeaway I had was the umbrella wasn't turned in until 3-4 days after his disappearance. Searchers would have been scouring the area so why did it take that long to have someone locate it? Was it hidden somewhere, causing the delay in discovery? Did Ryan hide it himself in anticipation of returning for it? Did someone have it who was unaware of its importance in a missing persons case?
On one hand, it's very difficult imagining he would part ways with this umbrella willingly; its sentimental value to him seems significant. On the other hand, Ryan could have been entirely preoccupied with hiding and the umbrella didn't work its way into that mindset?
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I agree that it does depend on his mindset if he was the one to leave the umbrella. He may have taken it with him initially, but I doubt he would have gone back to leave it there days later in the middle of the investigation when everyone was looking for him; police presence would've been heavy around his apartment. Another sad possibility relating to an opportunistic abductor theory is that after taking him to a secondary location, they found a way to put the umbrella back there after the area had been initially searched so they wouldn't be found with it on them. It is a huge red flag that it took days to find a distinctive umbrella that was in the nearly immediate area of his last siting.
 
djacks said:
I agree that it does depend on his mindset if he was the one to leave the umbrella. He may have taken it with him initially, but I doubt he would have gone back to leave it there days later in the middle of the investigation when everyone was looking for him; police presence would've been heavy around his apartment. Another sad possibility relating to an opportunistic abductor theory is that after taking him to a secondary location, they found a way to put the umbrella back there after the area had been initially searched so they wouldn't be found with it on them. It is a huge red flag that it took days to find a distinctive umbrella that was in the nearly immediate area of his last siting.
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You aren’t kidding there. I personally have strong suspicions that it was there all along. However, I suppose there is that very small chance that maybe he was abducted by someone who lives in the same complex and parks his car near where the umbrella was found. But then what? Dispose of evidence by tossing it out of the car into the parking lot where he/she (perp) lives? Why not just throw it in the trash bin? I can’t convince myself there’s any reason to place it there after the fact. I don’t see how that really throws the investigation off. We are still trying to answer the same questions had it not been found IMO.
 
CocoChanel said:
I respect your views and insight into autism. As a professional with 45 years as an educator of children and adults on the spectrum, my experience is that those with sensory issues can ALSO be HYPO-sensitive to certain things, smell being one of them. Some of my best friends with autism needed the input of a stronger smell than what we would consider normal. That led them to seek out some items that would seem strange or inappropriate to neurotypical folks. I don’t think we can necessarily rule out that Ryan may have a hypo-sensitivity to some things and a hyper-sensitivity to others.
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I know I’m a little late for the discussion however I just felt like adding my 2 cents. Having a child on the spectrum, I can attest your experience proves accurate in our child’s circumstances. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him complain much about any foul smells however countless times he has commented how good things smell to him. Smells the rest of us family members find especially nauseating. Honestly, at first I thought he was being a smart*butt* about it because he certainly loves to instigate and is probably the MOST stubborn human I know. However, over the years I have realized his sense of smell is much different than mine and he is not bothered by many odors.

One other thing I’d like to mention is how my perception has changed throughout the years. I would have argued that he would never crawl into a dumpster 5 years ago. I have no problem thinking he would crawl into the dumpster now days. In fact I would argue that he wouldn’t even hesitate hiding in one. He is incredibly picky about the way clothes feel. Extremely opposite of my own comfort levels however. He wears his pants like Steve Urkel from the show Family Matters, he almost always has his sock on inside out and with the bottom of the sock on the top of his foot, he will put his shoes on the wrong feet when throwing a tantrum and insist they are on the right feet (paying no mind where we go or who is looking at him funny), and he occasionally puts his shirts on backwards without realizing it or just to elicit a reaction when he is in an argumentative type of mood. And now that he’s a teenager, trying to get him to shower has ended up with LaVista police at our place many times, literally.

I don’t even remember where I was going with this….lol. Yes, I could see hiding in a dumpster plausible, at least with our son. This is all only subjective to the experience our family has had with our son. Ryan may be very different(?). I very much hope wherever Ryan is, that he will return home safe and healthy. It’s heartbreaking each day that passes with no sign of him.
 
Thinking about Ryan and why he hasn't been found. Xavior went missing around the same time and was possibly just found (pending identification of his remains). I would love to believe Ryan is still alive, but statistically speaking he likely isn't. What happened to Ryan? Why doesn't he get attention? He is so young and so alone!
 
Checked in here this morning hoping for some news or development in the case. I grew up in La Vista, less than a mile away from Ryan's school, and still visit family there when it's possible. Haven't been back there since before the pandemic, but the case has hit close to home for my family...and me.
 
NOV 15, 2021
Six months since Ryan Larsen disappeared (ketv.com)
[...]

Family and police hope another half a year doesn't go by without any clues, but Lausten said now the focus has changed.

"We were working this case in the beginning as a missing person's case but now that we're six months into this, the chances for foul play really start to go up," he said.

[...]

Lausten said the video is from La Vista keno showing someone matching Ryan's description near the North end of the parking lot walking back and forth between the light poles in the grassy area near Kentucky Fried Chicken. It was 1:45 p.m. Police won't release that video because they can't say for certain that was Ryan.

"We strongly believe it's him, but it's so grainy we can't positively say it's him," Lausten said.

[...]

"The longer things go without finding somebody, I think you have to look at something nefarious involved with the disappearance," Lausten said. "So what happened to him?"

[...]
 
*bump* Just saw an article today about a missing Kentucky boy with Autism who was found (in Texas) and it made me think of this case. Apparently there was an older man involved in some way though the details aren't out there right now. Can't help but draw some parallels to Ryan and what might have happened to him. All said and done I think that's probably still less likely than him taking some unknowable action on his own that led to wherever he is now. But this definitely got me thinking it's a bit more likely than I thought that someone else caused this disappearance to happen.

I would still say most likely first:
He ran and hid somewhere for his own reasons and ended up just too disconcerted and disconnected to come back.

Then:
He ran for his own reasons and an opportunistic predator grabbed him somewhere.

And then:
Someone groomed him to go somewhere. I guess it's almost confirmation bias in a way but I would have given this possibility very little chance of being the reality of the situation before reading about that other case. I still think it's pretty unlikely but now I wonder a little more.
 
Kristin Esq. said:
Literally just heard about this case a few minutes ago. Will read through the thread to catch up!
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RL disappeared just a couple of weeks before another 11- year old boy vanished-- Xavior Harrelson in Montezuma, IA, less than 200 miles away. XH was recently recovered in a bean field, deceased. There's no known connection to the cases at this time. :(
 
‘We’re not giving up’: La Vista police still stumped by Ryan Larsen disappearance

" It’s been just over seven months since now 12-year-old Ryan Larsen walked out of La Vista West Elementary School and was reportedly never seen or spoken to again.

La Vista police tell 6 News the investigation has slowed significantly, but it hasn’t completely stopped yet.

“It’s still an active investigation, and it’s been a long investigation, it’s taken us into 2022 obviously,” says La Vista Police Chief Bob Lausten. “We don’t know where he’s at.”

Ryan’s disappearance has confused community members and the police for months. He walked away from school on May 17, and shortly after, his umbrella was found near the dumpster behind his apartment complex."
 
Kristin Esq. said:
‘We’re not giving up’: La Vista police still stumped by Ryan Larsen disappearance
" It’s been just over seven months since now 12-year-old Ryan Larsen walked out of La Vista West Elementary School and was reportedly never seen or spoken to again.
(SBM)
Ryan’s disappearance has confused community members and the police for months. He walked away from school on May 17, and shortly after, his umbrella was found near the dumpster behind his apartment complex."
Click to expand...


This article also includes this information:
"Since 6 News last spoke with Lausten, he says local authorities have conducted more ground searches in the same wooded areas and water sources they searched in the early days of the investigation, near where Ryan went missing.

He also says they received compliance on subpoenas from Google, requesting information on cell data or phone numbers that may have been used at the time Ryan vanished.

“That’s been analyzed by numerous law enforcement partners so that information, that’s helping us somewhat, but again, anything we’ve had so far has not led us to where he’s at or who may have caused him harm if harm was caused,” Lausten says."
 
FEB 16, 2022
Search for Ryan Larsen, the missing boy from La Vista, gains national attention (ketv.com)
Driving westbound on Interstate 80, you can't miss it near 99th street — a bright billboard with Ryan Larsen's picture, reminding drivers the autistic boy is still missing.

"I think it's awesome. The more the word gets out, the more the word continues to stay out and he isn't forgotten," La Vista Police Chief Bob Lausten said.

[...]

Lausten said no tips have come in. Tuesday, they searched a field one mile from Ryan's home and found nothing. He calls this an active case. Lausten hopes the billboard and bus benches move someone to come forward with information.

"We need closure on this, closure for the family, closure for the community and in respect of Ryan, we need to find where he is at," Lausten said.

[...]

If you have any information, call Sarpy County Crime Stoppers at 402-592-STOP OR 7867 or La Vista police at 402-331-1582.
 
I still can't believe he hasn't been found. And I feel like everyone in the Omaha metro has just moved on. It breaks my heart.

And even with cases like this, parents like me are treated like helicopter moms for worrying about our kids at school. My son is autistic and wears a Jiobit device to school. Back when he started in kindergarten, at his IEP meeting, I said that if I get an alert that he has left the school, I will immediately call the office. And the principal basically said "If him wearing the device is going to cause you more stress, maybe he shouldn't wear it." WHAT?! So many administrators are clueless. (Side note, my son DID wander out the door once at school but they still act like it was no big deal. WTF.)
 
I saw a bench today with Ryan's info on it. Every once in a while I'll see a sign, but mostly it seems he's been forgotten. I can't even begin to imagine how his mom is able to get through each day. I know I saw a while back that she said she feels like someone took him. I don't agree with her. I think the most logical scenario is still that he hid in a dumpster, and if that's the case, there will likely never be answers.
 
Missing for a year.

LA VISTA, Neb. — When you walk into the La Vista Police Department, one of the first things you'll see is Ryan Larsen's picture.

"It's been a year and the case is still under investigation," said Chief Bob Lausten. "We've looked everywhere."

Lausten says his department knew Ryan.

They found the boy with autism safe, a half dozen other times, when he'd walked out of La Vista West Elementary.

This time, on May 17, 2021, something went wrong.

More at 'Somebody knows something,' La Vista police chief needs evidence to find missing Ryan Larsen
 
Rain water sewer pipes. We use to climb through them when we were kids. I wonder where they flow to or let out. Just a thought that crossed my mind
 
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