The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the whereabouts of a Massachusetts boy who hasn’t been seen in over 40 years.
On September 30, 1978, 4-year-old Andrew J. Amato disappeared in Webster while playing along a wooded path. Last seen near the Ash Street Trailer Park, he was in the company of his 6-year-old cousin and 7-year-old sister, according to ABC 5.
The children were walking along what is now the I-395 (Route 52 back then) when Andrew dropped his toy in a pond, insisting on retrieving it. The other children left to find family members, but upon returning, Andrew was gone.
In 2003, a Boston Globe article reported that an elderly man from Rhode Island confessed to relatives about killing Andrew and burying him beneath power lines in Burrillville, Rhode Island.
Despite a large-scale search in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, police were unable to find him.
Recently, FBI divers conducted a search at Round Pond in Burrillville, pursuing “specific evidence.” The outcome of the search remains uncertain.
“Andrew Amato’s family has endured immense pain and deserves closure, which is why the FBI is offering a substantial reward to prompt anyone with knowledge to come forward,” stated Ted E. Docks, the special agent leading the FBI’s Boston Division, on Tuesday.
Described as a white male with blue eyes, Andrew had a mole beside his right ear and a “one-inch scar on the right side of his head,” reported by Boston 25 News.
He was last seen in a white Mickey Mouse t-shirt, jeans, a snorkel jacket, and brown shoes with stripes. At the time of his disappearance, he stood 3 feet, 6 inches tall and weighed around 38 pounds.
“Your tip could be key to resolving this case and providing the Amatos with some much-needed closure,” Docks added.
“It’s never too late to step up and do the right thing. Yes, it’s been 47 years, but we’re not about to give up on bringing Andy home and anyone involved in his disappearance to justice.”
Anyone with information should call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or Webster police at 508-943-1212. Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.
[Feature Photo via FBI]
