MOTHER, STEPFATHER ARRESTED IN SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE CASE AS SEARCH CONTINUES FOR MISSING OKLAHOMA BOY. (PHOTO).

 Mother, stepfather arrested in suspected child abuse case as search continues for missing Oklahoma boy

The mother and stepfather of a missing 12-year-old boy in Oklahoma were arrested Wednesday night on allegations of child abuse, authorities said, as the search for the child enters its second week. Ryan Davis, who also goes by RJ or Ryker, was last seen on Jan. 2 in Chickasha, prompting the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) to classify his disappearance as “suspicious.” Police have issued an endangered missing advisory for the boy.

State authorities took Kimberly Cole and her husband, George Cole, into custody on complaints including child abuse, child sexual abuse, and conspiracy, OSBI spokesperson Hunter McKee said. Search warrants were executed prior to the arrests, and officials indicated the boy had been harmed while living with the couple. McKee did not release additional details of the alleged abuse, but described the environment as unsafe. Both parents remain in the Caddo County Jail, and formal charges have not yet been filed.

The search for Ryan is ongoing, with OSBI offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to his safe return. Drones, canines, and multiple law enforcement agencies have been deployed to rural areas between Caddo and Grady counties. “We do believe he is alive at this time, so we are doing everything we can to locate him,” McKee said. Authorities have also coordinated with the state’s human services department.

Ryan was last seen around 11:20 p.m. on Jan. 2 at the intersection of Fourth Street and Grand Avenue in Chickasha, roughly 40 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. He is 4 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 85 pounds, and was wearing a red-and-black plaid shirt, dark jeans, and brown steel-toe boots. Police are urging anyone with information to call the OSBI tip line at 800-522-8017.