Father Of Missing Boy Released From Jail; Search For His Son Expands To Santa Barbara County
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The father of a missing South Pasadena boy was released from jail Tuesday as the search for his five-year-old son continued.
Aramazd Andressian Sr. walked out of the Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles around 3:30 p.m.
He was released due to lack of evidence, according to court documents. Sheriff's officials said investigators have made the decision not to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office at this time.
The $10 million bail on which Andressian was held was vacated. He is accused of child endangerment in his son's disappearance.
Tuesday's search for Aramazd Andressian Jr. expanded to Cachuma Lake Recreation Area in Santa Barbara County, where Andressian Sr. was allegedly spotted on Friday.
Witnesses told detectives that they saw a man fitting his description and a car that looked like his car.
Divers went into the lake to conduct a search, while investigators used search dogs to help scour the area around the lake. But there was no sign of the boy.
"His mother is distraught. However, we all remain optimistic at this time and hope that we find him safely and bring him home to her," Lt. Joe Mendoza of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
A gray 2004 four-door BMW owned by the boy's father was seen Friday morning at Disneyland in Anaheim, where he and the boy apparently spent the day Thursday, investigators said.
On Saturday morning, Andreesian was found passed out next to his car in South Pasadena's Arroyo Seco Park. His son was nowhere to be found.
Andressian was taken to a hospital then arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and child abduction.
"At this point, his statements have been convoluted and not consistent," sheriff's Capt. Chris Bergner said Sunday. "We're working to try to get to the truth. We're getting new information and following up on leads we have, but it's not enough."
The boy's mother contacted police at 9 a.m. Saturday to report her son missing. She said her estranged husband, with whom she shares custody of their son, had failed to drop off the child at a pre-arranged meeting place.
The boy was last seen by his mother Tuesday via a Skype video call from an unknown location, South Pasadena police said.
Police dogs from the South Pasadena Police Department and nearby agencies joined in the effort to locate the boy over the weekend.
Bloodhounds combed Arroyo Seco Park at least twice. Sierra Madre's search-and-rescue team and the San Gabriel and San Marino police departments also joined the search.
Detectives have been in touch with relatives in Armenia and customs agents, but local police said they did not believe the boy has traveled there.
The boy is described as white, 4-foot-1 and 55 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a plaid shirt and plaid shorts and has a small mole on the bottom of his right shoulder.
South Pasadena police urged anyone with information about the boy to call them at (626) 403-7297. Sheriff's detectives can be reached at (323) 890-5500.
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