(La vista, NE) -- An Endangered Missing Advisory for Ryan Larsen is canceled by the Nebraska State Patrol on Friday, but investigators say the search for the missing 11 year old is still active.
In a news conference with the La Vista Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol Friday afternoon, authorities said the EMA regarding Ryan would expire, but that is was strictly an administrative step. NSP says the advisories are usually only issued for 72 hours. Shortly after the Friday press conference ended, an NSP release was sent with that information. Ryan’s disappearance will now be considered a missing person case as teams continue to search for the boy.
At the media briefing, La Vista Police Chief Bob Lausten said that authorities are focusing their search for Ryan, who has been missing since Monday afternoon, in multiple areas including Walnut Creek, where Ryan's family had visited before. “We’re 96 hours into this, and I’m really worried,” Lausten said.
Local, state, and federal agencies continue to assist with the search. “I’m overwhelmed by the support,” he said. Lausten said dive crews from Omaha, Yutan and Council Bluffs are assisting in the search. He says additional search and rescue resources have also been brought in from Des Moines, Iowa.
Lausten said search teams were focused on more areas than just Walnut Creek, but he wouldn’t specify those areas. LVPD called off volunteers Friday as multiple law enforcement agencies continued their search for Ryan.
In a tweet Friday morning, LVPD suggested those who want to help should instead offer their support by way of donations to The Salvation Army or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Volunteers had been helping to look for Ryan since he went missing on at noon Monday.
Nebraska State Patrol on Friday was blocking off entrances to Walnut Creek Recreation Area, an area authorities have continually zeroed in on during the search for the missing boy, who has autism. Search teams were also deployed on waterways at the recreational area and near La Vista Central Park on Thursday, LVPD said. “Autism experts have shared that children with autism gravitate toward water,” the LVPD release states.
(Photo by the La Vista Police Department)