Missing 11-year-old San Jose boy found on Treasure Island

[Desmond Milligan 0]

The Brief

• 11-year-old Noah Alhayek has been found after he went missing for one week, his family says.

• The child is a San Jose resident.

• Police said he was known to frequent San Francisco and the surrounding areas.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - An 11-year-old boy who went missing from San Jose for a week was found on Treasure Island Monday night, his family tells KTVU.

What we know

San Jose police said Noah Alhayek was last seen on Aug. 4.

They said he walked away from his group home in East San Jose.

On Monday night, Noah's mother said she found him at an apartment on Treasure Island. She is now waiting to see what the Department of Children and Family Services will choose to do next.

Family background

Noah's mother, Crystal Nieland, tells KTVU that she found her way out of homelessness about a year ago. Since then, she says she's been taking steps to bring her children back under her roof.

Nieland tells KTVU the Department of Children and Family Services is involved, and Noah's behavior prevents him from safely living at home with his mother and siblings. As a result, DCFS has been searching for a foster home for him.

"He lives in something called a satellite center, which is where they place kids who are having a hard time finding a foster home. Noah is there currently because his behaviors, his mental health… they were having a hard time finding a placement for him," Nieland told KTVU.

Nieland heard tips that Noah was spotted on Treasure Island over the past week. She and other family members headed to the island on Monday to go door-to-door searching.

Colma connection

Police in Colma were also alerting the public about the missing child.

Investigators noted he had previously been the subject of a missing persons case and, in that instance, had been located in Colma.

"He lives in San Jose but is known to frequent the San Francisco and surrounding areas. He was last known to be using public transportation to San Francisco," Colma police shared on social media on Friday.

In a flyer shared by that police department, Noah is described as being an "at risk youth."

Along with a photo of the boy, the flyer said, "Noah, your mom is very worried and loves you."

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