Authorities in Utah have issued an urgent Endangered Missing Advisory for a young boy who disappeared during what was supposed to be a routine custody exchange in Bountiful.
James Despain, 5, has not been seen since Thursday evening when his biological father failed to return him following scheduled visitation hours. The child’s mother, who holds sole physical and legal custody, arrived at the designated meeting location only to discover both her son and his father had vanished.
Details of the Disappearance
Benjamin Despain, 45, collected James from the mother’s Bountiful residence at 5:30 p.m. for what should have been a brief supervised visit. When Natalie Despain arrived at 618 West Winchester in Murray to retrieve her son after the designated visitation period, neither Benjamin nor James were at the address.
Investigators report that Benjamin is driving a red 2006 Toyota Tacoma bearing Utah license plate 255PCJ. The vehicle is towing a white Forest River trailer with license plate 017531Z, suggesting the pair may have left the immediate area.
Prior Warnings Raise Concerns
The situation becomes more alarming given that Benjamin previously sent correspondence to Natalie stating his intention to take their son away to prevent a scheduled medical procedure. James was due to undergo adenoid removal surgery on Thursday, a routine operation that Benjamin apparently opposed.
The child is described as standing 3 feet 11 inches tall, weighing approximately 47 pounds, with blonde hair. He was last observed wearing a gray astronaut shirt featuring a rocket design and green pants.
Legal Background
Court documents reveal that Natalie maintains complete physical and legal custody of James. An emergency child protective order identifying James as the protected party was issued on December 3, but authorities have been unsuccessful in serving the order to Benjamin.
The Bountiful Police Department is leading the investigation into the disappearance. Detective Williams is handling the case and can be reached at 801-631-9357 for anyone with information regarding James’ whereabouts. The case reference number is B25-21141.
What Authorities Are Asking
Law enforcement officials are urging anyone who spots the red Toyota Tacoma with attached trailer, or who has any information about James or Benjamin’s location, to contact police immediately. The Utah Department of Public Safety has also activated resources to assist in the search.
Given the circumstances surrounding the disappearance, including the custody dispute and Benjamin’s stated intentions regarding the medical procedure, investigators are treating this as a time-sensitive matter requiring immediate public assistance.
Community members in Utah and neighboring states are asked to remain vigilant and report any sightings of the vehicle or individuals matching the descriptions provided by authorities.
