New Tip Revives Search for Minnesota Boy Who Vanished 44 Years Ago

Three-year-old Kevin Ayotte disappeared in 1982 while playing upstairs at his family’s summer home. Investigators are now searching a nearby property after receiving a new lead.

Authorities in northern Minnesota have launched a renewed search in a decades-old missing-child case after receiving a new tip about a boy who disappeared 44 years ago.

Kevin Ayotte was just 3 years old when he vanished on September 30, 1982, while playing upstairs at his family’s summer home in Sugar Bush Township, about 14 miles northeast of Bemidji.

The latest information has prompted the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office and agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to search a property in the area.

New Lead Prompts Property Search
Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs said the tip came from family members and required time to follow up before investigators could organize the search.

Authorities are examining areas around a building on the property, which is not the location where Kevin originally disappeared.

According to Riggs, a person who had previously been considered a person of interest in the case once lived at the property. Investigators are now checking whether the site could provide information relevant to the boy’s disappearance.

Officials have not publicly identified the person or disclosed further details about the tip.

Investigation Remains Ongoing
Investigators had not reported any new discoveries as of the latest update. The sheriff indicated that the search could continue for another day or two as authorities pursue different leads around the building.

A drone was also seen flying above the home and garage while the search was underway.

Despite the renewed activity, authorities have not announced a breakthrough or confirmed what happened to Kevin.

A Case That Has Remained Unsolved for Decades
Kevin’s disappearance has remained unresolved since 1982, leaving his family without answers for more than four decades.

The latest search represents another effort to follow up on information that could help investigators determine what happened to the missing child.

Authorities have not announced any arrests or confirmed that the new lead has changed the status of the case.

Source: Lakeland News — New Tip in 44-Year-Old Missing Person Case Prompts Search in Beltrami County