19-year-old Plainfield man still missing; family suspects 'someone else involved'
Connor Oldfield was last seen around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 24. The 19-year-old has autism.
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A Plainfield family is desperate for answers after their son with autism went missing 12 days ago.
Doorbell camera footage shows some of the last moments anyone saw 19-year-old Connor Oldfield before he went missing.
"He's my star boy. My nickname for him is Star Boy. Please, we miss you," said Stephanie Senior, Connor's mother. "I'm just begging you. Please direct us to Connor or direct Connor to us so he can be safe."
The barbershop she's worked at for 13 years, where Connor grew up, is now filled with posters of him.
"[We] went door-to-door. Some people were like, 'Get out my yard.' I was like, 'Listen, I need to find my family because he's family to me,'" said Wayne Chin Franklin, a barber at Precision, where Senior works.
Doorbell surveillance footage shows Connor rushing out of his family home around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 24.
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"Our community of Plainfield, we do not have enough resources to protect our vulnerable population. That's a big thing that needs to be addressed, and we are working on that moving forward as well because this cannot happen again," Senior said.
She told News 12 that Connor was wearing pajamas when he left, and he didn’t take any of his belongings, including his ID.
"Based on what happened with how he left the home, someone else is involved. Someone else had to gain his trust because he's not just a friendly person who will go up and speak to a stranger," she said. "So, my theory is that someone had to somewhat invite him out, whether it's on a good term or a bad term."
Though Senior said local police have checked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, she fears her son could have been detained once he left the house.
"In a crisis situation, he could've shut down. He could've gone non-verbal in a traumatic situation if somebody snatched him up or hurt him or anything," she said.
News 12 has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for commentm but has not heard back.
"The agency ICE interferes in the neighborhood. They're doing a lot. So, people are scared to talk to the authorities," Senior said. "If you don't feel like calling the cops, just call someone else. Call a hospital. Drop him off at a hospital. Drop him off somewhere he can be safe."
