HAMPTON, Va. — Forensic teams with the Hampton Police Division entered the apartment where Codi Bigsby lived with his father and siblings Thursday, and remained for several hours.
13News Now watched investigators walk in and out of the apartment on Ranalet Drive with evidence bags in their hands.
A police spokesperson said the activity is just part of the overall investigation into the disappearance of the 4-year-old boy.
“They may be brought in to help acquire more tools or more clothing or attributes to help the assets dig deeper,” said Kenny Miller, a retired Petersburg police chief with more than 40 years of experience in law enforcement.
When the police get the call about a missing child, Miller said officers are immediately dispatched to the area to get more information.
“Simultaneously you’re putting information out about this missing 4-year old, and then literally the wheels are in motion,” he said. “You have to get supervisors involved. You have to get a lead person. You have to set up a command post. You have to use your resources and all the assets you have.”
Codi’s father, Cory Bigsby, reported the child missing on Jan. 31, and told police the last saw his son around 2 a.m. that morning inside the apartment. The Hampton Police Division said Cory was arrested on charges of child neglect on Thursday, just a day after being deemed a "person of interest."
Whether a parent is considered a person of interest, Miller said, depends on the investigation.
“It means the person they are talking to has information that’s critical or important to the event that has taken place,” said Miller, who is currently the interim police chief for the Town of Colonial Beach and runs a consulting group.
Earlier this week, Hampton Police Chief Mark Talbot said Codi's case "is not an AMBER Alert case" after discussion with the Virginia State Police.
On Thursday, officers handed out flyers to neighbors of the Hampton apartment complex, asking for any information about Codi and his father leading up to the child’s disappearance.
“Have you seen Codi, his father, Cory or his siblings since Christmas?” the flyer reads.
Miller said investigators are likely working hard to figure out what happened, but also why it happened.
“Once you figure out the why, it helps you figure out what happened,” he said. “Nothing stops. Remember the officers are looking for the kids. The investigators are looking into those questions.”
RELATED: Hampton police request help from Suffolk Fire and Rescue to aid in the search for Codi Bigsby
As volunteers continue to show up to help find Codi, Miller said help from the community is critical.
“You know everything is really moving fast because time is so important,” he said.
Miller also said at this point of the investigation, typically no one or nothing is ruled out, because you’re still in the fact-finding stage. He also noted weather conditions as a factor for consideration, especially with the recent cold temperatures in Hampton Roads.
“The goal, the desire, the passion you have is to make sure you locate that person and you locate them safe,” he said. “In my experience, it was the help of the community in a number of events, and the media, in a number of events, that helped bring about some successful conclusions. So how important? Very important.”
Miller said cases involving young children can be particularly hard on officers, emotionally, as they try to solve the case.
“It’s all hands on deck to successfully bring home the child,” he said. “You remain hopeful you’ll get the child home.