EDITOR'S NOTE: Like 25 News in Waco, WFAA in Dallas is an ABC affiliate.
From WFAA
EVERMAN, Texas — After more than two weeks since the initial AMBER Alert was issued, another organization is joining the search for Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez in North Texas.
Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR) is helping Everman police look around the 3700 block of Wisteria Drive, where the 6-year-old lived with his immediate family.
TEXSAR volunteers came from all across Texas and searched on foot, horseback, and with canines and drones. They're looking in wooded areas around the family's home.
Late Monday evening, investigators focused their efforts in the backyard where Noel's family rented a converted shed.
"This wasn’t the plan at the beginning of the day, things change hour by hour, so we’ll continue this evening," Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer said on Monday evening.
Crews spent several hours cutting through concrete. They moved machinery in and began an excavation of the back porch.
"We’re just being as thorough as we can and checking the whole patio," Spencer said.
Spencer told WFAA Noel’s mother, Cindy Rodriguez Singh, purchased concrete in early March 2023, days before she and other immediate family members flew out of the country. According to investigators, Rodriguez-Singh paid for an entire porch, its roof, and a contractor to put in a concrete patio.
"She doesn’t own the home. We find it very odd that she would spend her funds to put in a concrete patio in someone's else's home, especially one as elaborate as this one," Spencer said. "This was a pretty hefty investment."
Spencer said the landlord living in the main house is cooperating with the investigation and granted authorities permission to excavate in the backyard.
"We've all got questions, everybody’s confused by this case, everybody’s got a lot of questions in this case, and that includes the investigative team as well," Spencer said.
Spencer was joined by Todd Snyder, who leads TEXSAR’s missing persons unit.
"Obviously, every case is important," Snyder told reporters. "But I guess there’s a special place in your heart is when it involves a child that’s missing or lost."
