Van Riley Missing Person Case

Sep 24, 2015

Jul 10, 2019

Van

Riley

18

5

37 inches

52 lbs

Black / African American

Male

In the summer of 2012, a five-year-old boy named Van Shaun Riley vanished from Detroit, Michigan. He was last seen on July 30th of that year. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance are distressing, as it is believed to be a case of family abduction. Van was picked up by his biological father, Rico Vance, from the 14900 block of West Chicago. The arrangement was for his father to return him to his mother on August 3rd, but that day came and went with no sign of the young boy. Following the missed return date, Van's mother's attempts to contact his father were futile, as her phone calls went unanswered. The inability to reach Rico Vance or locate either him or her son prompted her to report Van missing to the Detroit Police Department. At the time of his disappearance, Van was described as being three feet tall and weighing approximately 45 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt with a Spiderman logo, blue jeans, and red, black, and white Nike gym shoes. The investigation into Van's disappearance was opened by the Detroit Police Department, who circulated information about the missing boy and his father. The case was classified as a family abduction, a painful situation where a child is taken by a family member without legal custody. Despite the efforts of law enforcement and the passage of time, Van's whereabouts remain unknown. The case stands as a painful reminder of a childhood interrupted and a family left with unanswered questions. An overview of the case highlights a five-year-old boy who was supposed to be returned to his mother by his father and was not, leading to a missing person report and an ongoing search.

Jul 30, 2012

Detroit

Michigan

Wayne County

17237

Detroit Police Department

Detroit

Michigan

Wayne County

48226

Shannon Jones

Sergeant

1301 3rd St, Michigan

3135961800

Local

Law Enforcement

1208220070

Detroit Police Department

Black

Brown

Brown

07/14/2026