Seven key clues to untangle Timmothy Pitzen mystery as lad, 14, turns up claiming to be little boy who disappeared eight years ago
Investigators hope the boy can answer the riddles that have stumped them for almost eight years
ONE of America's most intriguing missing child mysteries could finally be solved, after a bedraggled teenager turned up hundreds of miles away claiming to have run away from kidnappers.
If the "bruised and skinny" lad in Kentucky really is Timmothy Pitzen, investigators will hope that he can answer the riddles that have stumped them for almost eight years.
Timmothy's family are anxiously waiting for DNA results as police officers from his home town in Illinois travel to speak to the boy in hospital near Cincinnati, Ohio.
The terrified 14-year-old — described as "scared and agitated" with bruises on his face — flagged down a motorist begging for help yesterday in Newport, on the opposite side of the river in Kentucky.
He claimed he had fled on foot from two muscle-bound men who were holding him at a motel and "kept running across a bridge".
Witnesses who saw him wandering the streets for two hours said they feared he was trying to steal cars — until they realised he was running from danger.
A female driver called 911 and said: "He walked up to my car and he went, 'Can you help me? I just want to get home. Please help me.'
"I asked him what's going on, and he tells me he's been kidnapped and he's been traded through all these people and he just wanted to go home."
When police arrived the boy identified himself as Timmothy Pitzen – a name familiar from the numerous nationwide TV appeals over the years.
Here are seven key clues that investigators will have to consider:
"She felt that her life had come to an end and she was going to end her life and she didn't want to leave him without good parenting."
So who was Timmothy with, how did his mother known them and why was she so sure he'd never be found?
BLOOD STAIN IN THE CAR
Police quickly began a huge search for Timmothy spanning three states.
He said he had been held against his will until he escaped that morning from a Red Roof Inn.
The boy said he had run across a bridge, focusing the search across the river in Cincinnati.
But there are several branches of the chain motels in the area for cops to check.
The FBI and local officer in Ohio and Kentucky are hoping motel staff might be able to verify his story – and get clues on the suspected kidnappers.
'TATTOOED BODYBUILDERS'?
The boy gave police descriptions of the men he said were holding him - including their distinctive tattoos.
He said they were two white men with "bodybuilder-type" physiques who were driving a Ford SUV with Wisconsin plates.
A police report states: "One had black curly hair, Mountain Dew shirt and jeans, & has a spider web tattoo on his neck.
"The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms."
So far no suspects have been identified.
DAD 'HOLDING IT TOGETHER'
DNA tests that will confirm if the boy is Timmothy could come back as soon as Thursday evening, according to reports.
Meanwhile his father Jim is "trying to hold it together", relatives said.
He lost his job after his son vanished and moved to Iowa. But he has never given up hope of finding his son.
Tim's aunt Kara Jacobs said last year: "I know that he’s out there. We just have to find him."
Maternal grandmother Alana Anderson said the family are "cautiously hopeful" after the dramatic development in Kentucky.
She told a US news channel: “We never forgot, never stopped thinking about him every day, stayed in touch with the police.
"It just went cold and I just prayed that when he was old enough that he would remember us and contact us — that was kind of the best I could hope for for a long time.”
But she added: "We don't want to get our hopes up. We've had false reports and false hopes before.
"I'm cautiously hopeful, very cautiously hopeful. And if it turns out to be him, we'll be thrilled."
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