A vigil was held Wednesday night outside the Fitchburg home of Jeremiah Oliver, a five-year-old who has been missing since September.
Relatives say they haven’t seen Jeremiah in months, but he was just reported missing this past week when his sister mentioned it to a teacher.
Case workers assigned to Jeremiah and his siblings also failed to report the boy’s absence.
People gathered at the vigil throughout the night leaving flowers and prayers for Jeremiah.
“My heart goes out to the little boy. Where is he at now? That’s why I’m here; to speak out with my prayers. My heart goes out to the family, just please say where he’s at,” Sandra Texidor, one of the vigil attendees, said.
Those in attendance hung to the hope that the young boy is still alive.
“But there’s hope. Maybe he’s alive. Maybe somebody has him, I don’t know,” Judy Gonzalez said.
The social worker who was assigned to monthly checks of the house and his supervisor have both been fired.
Jeremiah’s mother and her boyfriend are both facing charges related to child abuse.