Search for Missing Children in Bacabal Enters Fifth Day

Search teams in Bacabal, Maranhão, are continuing efforts to locate two missing siblings who disappeared on Sunday, January 4. The children, identified as Ágata Isabelle, 5 years old, and Allan Michael, 4 years old, vanished while playing near the São Sebastião dos Pretos quilombo.

On Wednesday, January 7, their 8-year-old cousin was found alive in a neighboring village. According to rescue officials, the boy stated that the other children were ahead of his location when he was discovered. The search operation has now entered its fifth day and is concentrated in the rural area surrounding the Santa Rosa village.

The operation is being coordinated by the Corpo de Bombeiros (Fire Department) and the Comando de Operações de Sobrevivência em Área Rural (Cosar) of the Polícia Militar. A total of 55 firefighters are deployed, covering an area of approximately 15 kilometers. The search involves advanced technology including drones equipped with thermal sensors, tracking dogs, and aerial support from a helicopter.

Local authorities have established an operational base with electrical generators and dining facilities to sustain the rescue teams. The community is actively collaborating with the search efforts. In a separate development, a man was arrested on Tuesday, January 6, but police have confirmed the detention is not directly related to the children's disappearance. The suspect was apprehended on a warrant for attempted rape, and police are investigating items found at his home.

Rescue operations in Bacabal have intensified as the search for the missing siblings continues into the fifth day. The operation is centered on the Santa Rosa village in the rural zone of the municipality. This location is adjacent to the São Sebastião dos Pretos quilombo, where the children were last seen on Sunday afternoon.

According to Célio Roberto, commander of the Fire Department, the operation mobilizes 55 firefighters. The search area covers approximately 15 kilometers of difficult terrain. The teams are utilizing a comprehensive set of resources to locate the children.

The operational assets deployed include:

• Thermal sensor drones for aerial surveillance
• Tracking dogs for scent detection
• A helicopter for aerial reconnaissance
• Personnel from the Military Police and Civil Police
• Support from the local community

Local government officials have provided logistical support. Roberto Costa, the mayor of Bacabal, confirmed that an operational base has been established. This base includes a power generator and a dining facility to support the continuous work of the rescue teams.

The breakthrough in the case occurred on Wednesday, January 7, when the 8-year-old cousin of the missing siblings was found alive. He was located in the early afternoon in a village neighboring the disappearance site. Célio Roberto confirmed that a carroceiro (cart driver) found the boy.

After his discovery, the boy was transported to the Hospital Geral de Bacabal for medical examinations. Officials reported that the child appeared weak and quite subdued. At the time of the report, specific details regarding his health condition were not yet available.

The boy provided crucial information to the authorities. He stated that the other children were ahead of the area where he was found. Following this lead, rescue teams have advanced their search to the proximate areas surrounding the Santa Rosa village.

Prior to the discovery of her son, the mother of the 8-year-old boy spoke to the media. She noted that her son is autistic and was very familiar with the local woods, often accompanying his father on routes through the region. "If he gets lost, my boy doesn't get lost in that bush. He is already used to roaming here with me," she said. She expressed fears of a kidnapping, stating, "I think it was a kidnapping. The hope is to find our children alive."

The three children disappeared on Sunday, January 4, around 3:00 PM. The siblings, Ágata Isabelle (5) and Allan Michael (4), were playing with their 8-year-old cousin in the woods near the São Sebastião dos Pretos quilombo. According to the family, the children are friends and frequently played in the area.

Search efforts began immediately on Sunday. The Comando de Operações de Sobrevivência em Área Rural (Cosar) of the Military Police initiated the operation, searching regions of forest and lakes. On Monday, January 5, the children's mother, stepfather, and grandmother provided statements at the Bacabal Police Station and were subsequently released.

Regarding the family's status, the police have not indicated any suspicion toward the parents or guardians. The investigation remains focused on the search and rescue operation in the rural areas of the municipality.

During the search operations on Tuesday, January 6, a man was detained by authorities. The Polícia Civil clarified that the arrest is not directly related to the disappearance of the children. The man is the partner of the grandmother of one of the missing children.

The suspect was arrested to enforce a warrant for attempted rape against a 16-year-old girl. The denunciation for this crime was filed on January 1. Police officers searched the man's residence during the arrest.

At the residence, investigators found a dirty piece of clothing and three crosses. These items were seized for forensic analysis. The police are investigating the origin of these objects. The man denies any involvement in the case of the missing children.