On July 7, 1999, four-year-old Rolando Salas Jusino, affectionately known as Rolandito, disappeared from a park in the Colinas de Plata urbanization of Toa Alta, Puerto Rico. He was last seen playing unsupervised between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. At the time of his disappearance, Rolando was wearing a green t-shirt, dark green shorts, and black and white sneakers. Rolando, who has asthma, was described as a Biracial male with black hair and brown eyes.
The investigation into Rolando's disappearance has explored various leads, none of which have led to his recovery. Early theories suggesting a connection to drug trafficking were quickly dismissed by police, as none of his family members were known to be involved in such activities. Rolando's stepfather, Roberto Gotay Valcarcel, became a person of interest after fellow prison inmates alleged he had confessed to murdering the child and burying his body on a farm; however, this claim was never verified. On the day he vanished, his mother's ex-partner, Roberto Gotay Valcárcel, had visited their home and asked to take Rolando to buy a bicycle, a request his mother denied.
Over the years, numerous alleged sightings of Rolando have been reported from various locations, including the Dominican Republic, Spain, and the mainland United States, but none have been confirmed. The case garnered significant media attention in Puerto Rico and Latin America. In a recent development in mid-2024, authorities investigated a tip regarding a man in Boston who resembled an age-progressed image of Rolando and had a similar birthmark. Hopes were dashed, however, when a DNA test confirmed the man was not the missing child. Despite the passage of time, the case of Rolando Salas Jusino remains unsolved.Last Seen: Jul 7, 1999
