A father and his toddler son have mysteriously disappeared after what should have been a simple afternoon stroll, sparking a frantic multi-state search that has now moved to a major city.
Todd Sabatini, 36, left his McHenry, Illinois home with his 22-month-old son Theo for a walk around noon on Saturday, according to the McHenry Police Department. But when the pair didn’t return hours later, worried family members alerted authorities.
The afternoon walk was described as a normal routine for the father and son, but police soon learned that Sabatini had not packed enough supplies for a long trip with the toddler, sources told People.
A major break came when investigators found Theo’s stroller abandoned behind a local business. Security footage then showed Sabatini trying to get someone’s attention at Zion Lutheran Church, which is located near a supermarket, police said. He also reportedly spoke with an employee at a Taco Bell.
In a bizarre twist, the father and son then took a rideshare all the way to Greenfield, Wisconsin—about an hour’s drive north. There, Sabatini walked into the Greenfield Police Department and spoke with an officer before leaving on foot with Theo around 2 p. m.
Saturday, according to the outlet. It remains unclear what was discussed.
By late Saturday, authorities announced they had “reliable information” placing the duo in Milwaukee, and are now working with law enforcement in both Illinois and Wisconsin to track them down.
Theo was last spotted wearing a blue shirt and dark shorts. Sabatini was dressed in a blue-and-black flannel, a grey tank top, jeans, and Converse shoes. Notably, recent photos show him clean-shaven, while older images show a full beard.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the McHenry Police Department at 815-363-2130.
What could have prompted a father to leave his home without essentials and travel to another state with his young son?
