As Search For Codi Bigsby, 4, Enters Third Week, A Virginia Community Waits For Answers

HAMPTON, VA — The search for 4-year-old Codi Bigsby of Hampton entered its third week on Tuesday as a community continued to hope and the agency in charge of locating him is now saying it mishandled the case.

Codi was last seen around 2 a.m. on Jan. 31, according to Hampton police. His father, Cory Bigsby, 43, reported Codi missing at 9 a.m.

Codi's disappearance has led to a heart-wrenching search, an immense amount of evidence and, ultimately, the arrest of the little boy's father.

Still, Codi has not been found, which means the case is far from closed.

"This is all of our obligations. We're all here for Codi Bigsby," Hampton Police Chief Mark Talbot said at a news conference Monday, according to WAVY. "I don't know if those efforts will be fruitful, but what do you do? Do you sit and do nothing? I don't think so."

Here are five things we know about Codi's disappearance so far:

The search has spanned hundreds of hours and numerous locations.

Since Codi was reported missing, police and volunteers alike have combed through the community of Hampton in search of him. Teams in hazmat suits sifted through dumpsters, WTKR reported. Crews searched locations such as the Hampton Steam Plant. In addition to volunteers, the FBI, drones and dogs all contributed to the search.

On Feb. 2, Cory Bigsby was named the sole person of interest in the case.

The following day, police issued a statement saying authorities had covered a "tremendous amount of ground, spoken to hundreds of citizens, and followed every possible lead" — however, the little boy remains missing.

On Saturday, police were at the little boy's home after a neighbor said they found a child's jacket in a wooded area behind the apartment complex, according to a separate WTKR report. Police have not confirmed whether the discovery is connected to Codi's disappearance.

On Monday, police said the large-scale search effort to find Codi had ended, according to The Daily Press. Police are now investigating and processing "immense amounts of evidence" in efforts to locate the missing boy, police said.

Codi's father has been arrested, charged with neglect.

Earlier this month, Cory Bigsby was arrested and charged with seven counts of felony child neglect unrelated to Codi's disappearance, according to police.

In interviews with police, Bigsby said he left Codi and his other three young children home alone on two occasions, police said. The confession was enough for police to charge Bigsby with felony neglect, The Daily Press reported.

Bigsby was denied bond last week after a judge voiced concern about a past military AWOL conviction.

Hampton police say they "mishandled" the case.

Hampton police chief Talbot admitted at a Monday news conference that the department denied Cory Bigsby's right to legal counsel.

In a review of interrogation footage, police found Bigsby expressed "a desire for legal counsel" twice during a "heated exchange" Feb. 1 with the case's lead detective, The Daily Press reported. The back-and-forth focused on the results of a polygraph test Bigsby took on Jan. 31; however, he was not granted legal representation.

"My assessment is that his desires should have been honored," Talbot said. "They weren't."

The detective was placed on paid leave, The Daily Press reported. An internal investigation will take place, and the commonwealth attorney's office will review the incident, Talbot said.

A community rallies at "Camp Codi."

As the search continues, a tribute for Codi in Hampton's Buckroe Point neighborhood grows. Volunteers call the area "Camp Codi," according to WAVY. Balloons, flowers and tributes line the fence to the soccer fields, and someone placed a plastic tarp over the items to protect them from the winter weather.

Hampton resident Belinda Miles watches over the tribute, she told WAVY. She stops to check on it every day, she told the news station, and she refuses to give up hope.

"A 4-year-old child, he can't help himself, and I feel like the community can all come together and try to find this baby," she told WAVY.

Supporters want a new national alert to help find missing children.

A Change.org petition to create a "Codi Alert" has already garnered more than 5,600 signatures online. The petition specifically mentions President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia's 3rd District.

Mahogany Waldon, a volunteer searcher, told WTKR that the community is trying to drum up more support for the Codi Alert.

"We want people to sign that on change.org because we need to bring awareness that there needs to be some sort of system in place to alert the public when people go missing, especially children who don't qualify or meet the criteria for an Amber Alert," Waldon told WTKR.

If you have any information on Codi's whereabouts, please call the Crime Line at 888-562-5887 or submit a tip online at P3Tips.com or via the P3Tips app.