Codi Bigsby case: Missing boy’s father Cory arrested for child neglect

HAMPTON, Va. (TCD) -- As the search for missing 4-year-old Codi Bigsby continues, police named Codi’s father as a person of interest and arrested him this week on several counts of child neglect.

Codi was last seen Jan. 31 at approximately 2 a.m. and was reported missing by his father, Cory Bigsby, later that morning, Hampton Police said in a statement. Police and volunteers have searched frantically for the missing boy, and those efforts have continued throughout the week.

In a Feb. 1 press conference, Hampton Police Chief Mark Talbot said, "The evidence that we have does not completely match the stories that we have received at this point." Talbot said he and his investigators do not believe Codi "wandered off" and disappeared. WTKR-TV reported Feb. 1 police said they are "most interested" in Codi’s parents, though they had both been cooperating throughout their investigation.

On Feb. 2, Hampton Police officially named Cory a person of interest. Additionally, Hampton Police tweeted a series of questions and anyone who answered in the affirmative was asked to call the FBI. The questions were: "Do you know Codi, his father Cory or his siblings?" and "Have you seen Codi, his father Cory or his siblings since Christmas?" as well as "Do you live in Buckroe Pointe apartments and have a Ring doorbell or other surveillance cameras?"

Hampton Police announced Feb. 3 they took Cory into custody and charged him with seven counts of felony child neglect. Police added, "This is not the conclusion of the investigative process — we will continue to do everything in our power to find Codi."

WTKR reports Cory admitted to leaving his young children home alone in December and on several other occasions, including days before Codi was reported missing.

In a Feb. 4 press conference, Talbot said Cory told investigators taking his children along with him when he went out was "too much of a burden." Talbot said the arrest will allow the investigation to "get more intense" and that the FBI provided his team with "an extensive amount of forensic data."

Talbot said, "Each day, it becomes harder and harder to believe that Codi Bigsby is alive and well."

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