The Elfalak family celebrate after AJ is found alive. Photo / screen shot
The Elfalak family celebrate after AJ is found alive. Photo / screen shot
The disappearance of 3-year-old Anthony "AJ" Elfalak in NSW's Hunter Valley earlier this year has been ruled misadventure, police have announced.
After a massive search, AJ, who is autistic and non-verbal, was found three days later in a creek in bushland, just 200 metres from the family home at Putty.
NSW Police say an investigation into the incident has now concluded.
"In September 2021, a 3-year-old boy went missing at a rural property in the Hunter Valley," police said in a statement on Friday.
"Following a three-day multi-agency search, the boy was found by PolAir in bushland and reunited with his family.
"Detectives from Hunter Valley Police District commenced an investigation into the boy's disappearance.
"That investigation has now concluded, and the incident has been determined to be as a result of misadventure."
AJ's disappearance sparked a media frenzy, as hundreds of people including police, SES, Rural Fire Service and Volunteer Rescue Association personnel joined the search.
At the time, a number of theories were floated, including by family friends who told national TV networks they believed AJ had "definitely" been abducted.
Even after AJ's miraculous rescue on September 6, police said they were continuing to investigate a number of unanswered questions.
They included claims of missing CCTV footage from the home, and reports of a "suspicious" white ute seen driving away from area around the time AJ disappeared.
His mother Kelly initially claimed she feared AJ was "abducted" saying that he was "not a wanderer" and would not have ventured off alone.
AJ Elfalak, the moment he was found alive. Photo / NSW police
NSW Police's Strike Force Raptor, tasked with investigating underworld crime, was among the groups assisting with the investigation.
"I know everyone has lots of questions," Superintendent Tracy Chapman told reporters after AJ's discovery.
"I don't understand what has happened with some footage however it [will] subsequently [form] part of our inquiries still."
Just hours before AJ was found, family friend Alan Hashem told Nine's Today show CCTV footage from around the time of his disappearance had gone missing.
AJ Elfalak went missing from his family's rural property earlier this year. Photo / NSW Police
"There's one key factor and this is probably the first time I've actually mentioned this, I installed cameras on that post right there," Mr Hashem said.
"There's footage missing, unexplained. Days before, days after, but not during the time.
"You know what's more alarming? We installed it so high you can't tamper with it and we had two mechanisms of storage, cloud storage and physical storage, and there's no data in that timeslot.
"We provided the user name and password to the police, we provided them the actual original memory card. There's a lot of explaining to do."
At the time, Mr Hashem said he feared Anthony was abducted.
"Without a doubt – for the simple reason he is on the spectrum of autism but he is always quite afraid and attached to his mum," he said.
After he was found, AJ's family put out a statement thanking police.
"Our family is together again. For that we are grateful to everyone who has assisted in any way over the last three days," they said.
"Thank you to the NSW Police, Rescue Services, volunteers, community members, friends and family who have worked tirelessly to find AJ.
"AJ is fine. Hold your kids close. Please give our family the privacy to appreciate what we have."
His mother Kelly would later say she believed AJ was being cared for by the Virgin Mary.
"We're a religious family … I always say that the Virgin Mary and all the saints and the angels are with my kids every day," she said in a social media video.
The Elfalak family celebrate after AJ is found alive. Photo / screen shot
"The Virgin Mary is always with us and I knew she was always with AJ.
"If you saw the picture of AJ in the creek, you can actually see the Virgin Mary next to him."
