Endangered child alert issued after 4-year-old Missouri boy taken from grandparents

An endangered person advisory has been issued across Missouri for 4-year-old Grayson T. Darnell, who was taken early Sunday from his grandparents’ house in Warsaw, Mo.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Department issued the alert for the missing boy after his mother, 36-year-old Julie M. Darnell, allegedly entered the home of his grandparents about 3 a.m. and took him. The boy’s grandparents have custody of him.

The alert says Julie Darnell left in a red 2006 Buick Lucerne with Missouri license plate MR7U6E. It was last seen at the grandparents’ house in the 100 block of West Gold Street in Warsaw.

Grayson was described as a white male, about 3 feet, 1 inch tall, weighing 60 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He has a surgical scar on his lip. He was wearing a light gray and black “Star Wars” hooded sweatshirt and blue-and-green plaid shorts.

Julie Darnell was described as a white female, about 5 feet, 2 inches tall, weighing 125 pounds. She has brown hair and hazel eyes.

Darnell is a noncustodial parent. The highway patrol said Darnell is thought have a bipolar disorder with drug-induced schizophrenia. She is suspected of using methamphetamine.

Anyone with information about the missing child is asked to call 911, their local police agency or the Benton County Sheriff’s Department at 660-438-9555.

This story was originally published July 29, 2018 at 8:19 AM.