Missing child leads to arrest warrants

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Two arrest warrants have been issued for a couple in the disappearance of a Terre Haute 4-year-old.

Police are searching for Nicholas Runyon and his current girlfriend April Bell after mother Jessica Johnson reported they took her son.

Jessica Johnson never imagined a life without her son John Johnson-Christian, also known as “Jon Jon.”

“My heart is gone. That’s my baby out there without his mommy, I just want him back,” said Johnson.

Tuesday morning, July 26th, Johnson had no idea her whole world was about to stop.

Johnson told police her ex-boyfriend, Runyon, along with Bell, knocked on her door at 8 a.m. asking to take Jon Jon to a birthday party. Johnson gave the couple permission, but asked that her son be returned by 11 a.m. Two hours past; there was no phone call and no Jon Jon.

Johnson says, “At that point, my mother's intuition started kicking in so I sent a text. I want to talk to my son and the last message I got from them was we're feeding him and I haven't heard from him since.”

Johnson's mind began to race but within minutes her phone rang. Johnson says Runyon's dad called and said Runyon's personal items were gone and he believed Runyon and Bell had kidnapped Jon Jon.

“There was never a birthday party, there was nothing at all; it was all a big lie. I found out they plotted for five days to take my baby from me, five days,” said Johnson.

Johnson says she then immediately called the Terre Haute Police Department. The Police say Bell stole her mother's bank card, leaving behind a trail of transactions from Indianapolis to Washington, Pennsylvania.

But 36 hours later, police are still searching for Jon Jon and Johnson is left fearing the worst.

“What's going to happen to my baby, are they going to hurt him when he asks for his mommy. He doesn't have his little stuff dog to sleep with. He needs a night light, he's afraid of the dark. He’s afraid of storms. I’m the only one who knows how to calm him down,” said Johnson.

Jon Jon was last seen wearing blue and red Thomas the Tank Engine swimming trunks and Spiderman flip-flops.

Police ask if you have any information to call Crime Stoppers at 812-238-STOP.