Buried-boy case hangs on missing mother

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Add a missing woman to the case of the little boy found buried in a city park last week as police track their best lead yet in naming the boy and finding out what happened to him.

At a late-night news conference Wednesday Albuquerque police Chief Ray Schultz announced investigators are trying to find Tiffany Toribio after receiving tips that she is the boy's mother.

That relationship, however, has yet to be confirmed. And for now investigators are calling Toribio a missing person.

"We have had an opportunity to see one picture of her son," Schultz told reporters. "It's similar but not enough for us to make a positive comparison.

"We feel the best course of action for us at this point in time is for us to talk to Tiffany directly."

Toribio, 23, and her son, who is 3 years 7 months, have not been seen since last week. Toribio is from Zia Pueblo in Sandoval County although police said she is currently transient with no permanent address.

She is described as 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 120 pounds with long, straight black hair.

Schultz said Toribio has connections to people living near Alvarado Park where the boy's body was unearthed Friday night. She was last seen in the area Wednesday, and her son was last seen the day before, he said.

Medical investigators said the boy found in the park was about 4 years old and either Hispanic or Native American.

Police have been in contact with Toribio's family, and they are concerned about her disappearance. Earlier police had received tips suggesting Toribio might be connected to the unidentified boy.

The investigation began Friday afternoon when someone visiting the park spotted a small show protruding from a sandy playground area. It took until about 9 p.m. for investigators to carefully remove the body while preserving evidence.

A composite image of the boy based on photographs of the body and restoration work by artists at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children was released Tuesday. That image was soon followed by photographs of the boy's clothing.

Not only investigators but park neighbors have been going door-to-door distributing the photos and trying to find anyone who recognized the boy. On Wednesday the neighborhood residents were visiting businesses in the area south of Interstate 40 between San Pedro Drive and San Mateo Boulevard posting fliers in the doors and windows of businesses.

So far, more than 60 people have phoned in tips on the case, and more have joined in vigils at the park where a makeshift memorial has arisen where the boy was buried.

Police continue to ask that anyone with potential clues to call either the APD tip line 1-877-SOLV-APD (1-877-765-8273) or the APD non-emergency number 505-242-COPS (505-242-2677).