Missing Metro Detroit Boy, 13, Was Kidnapped By Father: Police

RIVER ROUGE, MI — River Rouge Police are looking for a missing 13-year-old child who has a cognitive disorder.

Christopher Brown Jr. was last seen at 10:07 a.m. Sunday morning at a McDonald's restaurant at 10995 West Jefferson Ave. in River Rouge, according to police.

He was seen chaining his bicycle to a bike rack outside the restaurant before going inside for roughly a minute, according to police.

After leaving the restaurant, he got into the front passenger seat of a dark-color Chevy Tahoe with a Florida plate DSM1544, according to police.

That SUV is registered to his father, 58-year-old Christopher Allan Brown, according to police.

Brown had his parental rights terminated in August 2024 due to a child abuse incident involving another child, according to police.

The SUV was last seen in Toledo, and police believe it is headed to Florida. Brown also has ties to Georgia, Alabama and Florida, according to police.

"We believe in the last 24 hours he traveled from Florida up to River Rouge and this is where he lured him into the vehicle," said Detective Sgt. Joshua Smith of the River Rouge Public Safety Department.

The boy had been in the care of his 32-year-old brother after their mother died earlier this year, according to police.

Police said the brothers do not have the same father.

Police described the boy as between 5’2" to 5’4" tall and 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, red shorts and brown shoes, according to police.

Officials urged the public to stay away from the father and contact law enforcement.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the River Rouge Public Safety Department at (313) 842-8700 Ext. 1 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous.