An extensive search for an Illinois father and his young son concluded Sunday when Todd Sabatini and his 22-month-old son, Theo, were found safe in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, police confirmed. The pair had been missing since Saturday afternoon.
Authorities issued an alert after Todd Sabatini and Theo failed to return home from a walk in McHenry, Illinois, approximately 46 miles northwest of Chicago. Relatives raised the alarm when the two had not returned after four hours. The child's stroller was later discovered abandoned about a mile from their residence.
Investigators determined that Todd Sabatini had used a rideshare to travel with Theo to the Salem Lakes area of Wisconsin. Later, they proceeded to the Greenfield Police Department, about 40 miles further north. A Greenfield officer spoke with Sabatini around 2 p.m. on Saturday, before he and his son were officially considered missing, though the details of their conversation are unclear.
After leaving the police station on foot, the father and son were reportedly seen in the Milwaukee area seeking essential supplies. On Sunday, they were spotted by employees of the Milwaukee County Transit System on a public bus. Detectives from the McHenry Police Department, with assistance from Milwaukee authorities, located them shortly thereafter.
The father and son were transported back to McHenry and reunited with family members. The McHenry Police Department expressed gratitude to the community and assisting agencies for their help. The incident remains under investigation, but no criminal charges are being sought at this time. The search involved multiple law enforcement agencies across Illinois and Wisconsin.