Cadaver dogs alerted investigators to two different places at the former home of a missing Everman 6-year-old last seen in October, police say.
The search for Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, which has transitioned to a death investigation, lasted late into the night on Monday, Everman police said.
Police said during the search "human remains detection canines" drew investigators' attention to two places at the family's former home: a carpet that the boy's stepfather "disposed of" the night before he left the country, and a pile of topsoil underneath a concrete patio in the backyard.
However, no remains were discovered on Monday, police said. The alerts were part of a larger search that included a nearby wooded area.
Everman police said they learned Rodriguez-Alvarez's stepfather disposed of a carpet that had been used as flooring on top of a "make-shift" shed. Cadaver dogs alerted investigators to that carpet, which was later replaced by a concreate patio.
Under the direction of Everman police, crews demolished the patio behind the home where the family of Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez lived. Dogs again alerted investigators to topsoil underneath the concrete, leading authorities to believe that there were once human remains in the area.
The 6-year-old has not been seen since October, and his mother, stepfather, and six siblings fled the country soon after police started asking about Rodriguez-Alvarez.
Investigators were told that the boy's mother paid to have the patio concrete poured shortly before the family disappeared.
Police said search crews would take Tuesday off after a 20-hour workday on Monday. Meanwhile, city crews cleared debris on Tuesday.
The community of Everman held a vigil in memory of Rodriguez-Alvarez on Monday night with hundreds in attendance.
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