This Toddler Vanished From His Louisiana Home While Playing With Puppies On His Front Porch In 1999, And To This Day, Investigators Are Still Unsure What Really Happened To Him
My heart always breaks when I hear stories of children who suddenly went missing, and the story of Wesley Morgan, a toddler who disappeared from his home in Louisiana over 20 years ago, is no exception.
Wesley was the son of a young mother, Ruby Renee Havard, and was born in Louisiana in 1999. Wesley’s parents were separated, and before he went missing, he and his mom were living with her boyfriend, Dewey, in Clinton, Louisiana.
On May 15th, 2001, two-year-old Wesley and Ruby were supposedly enjoying a morning at home. Ruby claimed that around 9:45 a.m., Wesley was left on the porch of their home, playing with some puppies while she went inside to prepare him some food.
When Ruby went to check on Wesley about five minutes later, he was gone. There was no trace of him in the yard or down the block. The little boy had tragically vanished.
Ruby allegedly searched the property for around 15 minutes before calling the police and reporting Wesley missing.
Local police and investigators sprang into action, searching the area with helicopters and cadaver dogs. Officers knocked on neighbors’ doors to interview people, hoping they may have seen Wesley or had him with them.
After the large-scale searches for Wesley failed, rumors began to circulate, and people suspected Ruby may have been involved.
Ruby had allegedly dated a man named Burnell shortly after Wesley was born. Burnell was reportedly involved in the shooting death of a bystander in 1998, and he was arrested for his involvement not long after Wesley went missing.
This led people to believe Ruby and Burnell may have had something to do with Wesley’s disappearance, but Wesley’s relatives have since said those were all rumors. Investigators eventually stated they suspected Wesley had been killed or kidnapped.
Mikkel Bigandt – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual puppies
To this day, neither the police nor Wesley’s family can say for sure what happened to him. In 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans and Baton Rouge divisions announced they were initiating a new investigation into Wesley’s disappearance, utilizing more modern technology.
It’s been over 20 years since Wesley disappeared, but his relatives hold out hope for answers. Authorities are offering a $10,000 reward for information on his case.
At the time of his disappearance, Wesley was two years old and had blonde hair and blue eyes. He would be 24-years-old today.
If you have any information regarding his case, you are urged to contact the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office at (225) 683-5459 or the FBI at 1 (800) CALL-FBI (225-5324).
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