A 12-year-old boy who was missing for 11 days has been found in his father’s basement.
Charlie Bothuell V was discovered crouching behind a makeshift barricade of boxes late on Wednesday, WDIV reported.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig told the channel it was unlikely that Charlie could have built the barricade himself, adding the boy has since been removed from the Detroit property and will “get two things – medical treatment and food.”
Charlie Bothuell V went missing on 14 June
“I’ve never seen anything quite like this,” he added. “But the outcome – I couldn’t be happier.”
Hours earlier, Craig had told reporters investigators were “not ruling out the possibility of homicide” in the case.
In comments reported by USA Today, the boy's father Charles Bothuell IV said he was shocked his son was found in the basement.
He added: "For anybody to imply that I somehow knew that my son was in the basement, it's absurd and it's wrong.
"I love my son. I'm glad that he's home and he's going to have the great future he deserves to have."
He then broke down, sobbing: "I want to see my son."
Craig said authorities had searched the house several times, including with cadaver dogs. It's unclear whether Charlie was in the basement the whole time.
7 Action News reports Charlie’s father took and failed a polygraph test. It claims the boy's stepmother declined to take the test.
It adds Charlie's parents had complained they were being treated as suspects during the search for their son.