Crystal Lake search intensifies for missing 16-year-old boy with disabilities
Police and residents are searching a specific neighborhood area for Aaron Miller, who was last seen wearing a black cape.
By Yuna Patel ·
Law enforcement officials launched a coordinated search in Crystal Lake on Sunday morning after a 16-year-old boy with Down syndrome and autism failed to return home. The operation began when the Crystal Lake Police Department received a missing person report at approximately 10:19 a.m.
Aaron Miller, a resident of Crystal Lake, was last seen by his family on Saturday evening. His father reported the disappearance to a McHenry County Sheriff’s deputy, noting that his wife discovered the teen was missing later that day. A deputy indicated on the police radio that the exact timeline of the absence remained unclear.
Witnesses provided police with visual evidence of the teen’s potential movements. A resident reported seeing an individual in a black outfit holding a mask near Hannah Beardsley Middle School around 8:15 a.m. Sunday. The observer stated the person was heading toward Pingree Road and Terra Cotta Avenue. Police noted that Miller may be wearing a ghost face costume, a detail consistent with the resident’s description.
Lori Miller, the boy’s mother, confirmed the details in a social media post released just before 12:00 p.m. She stated that her son has a strong interest in Halloween decorations and might be interacting with them or hiding in a backyard. She identified the last known area as the intersection of Pingree Road, Terra Cotta Avenue, and Crystal Lake Avenue. Miller urged the public to approach and intervene if they spot him.
Search teams from the Crystal Lake Police Department and the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office deployed to multiple locations. Deputies checked subdivisions in unincorporated areas near the city limits. Officers also conducted foot searches in a wooded area between the parking lot of Willow Creek Community Church and the train tracks. Additional units checked the vicinity of Crystal Lake Avenue near Prairie Ridge High School.
Local residents joined the effort, with many using social media to organize car, foot, and bicycle searches. One resident noted her grandson was checking Veteran Acres Park. As of Sunday afternoon, the family continued their own search alongside police. The department had not issued a formal missing person advisory or press release by that time. Citizens were directed to call the Crystal Lake Police Department at 815-356-3620 if they located Miller.
Source: Lake and McHenry County Scanner
