Log in to WRAL.com with one click using your favorite social network:
OR
Log in using your WRAL.com account:



Wrong email/password combination.

Forgot password?

Register with WRAL.com using your favorite social network:
OR
Register for a WRAL.com account using our web form.

3:23 p.m. • 5-21-13

Weather Forecast for Raleigh

  • Wed: Thunderstorm.
    • Hi: 84° F
  • Thu: Thunderstorm.
    • Hi: 80° F
  • Fri: Partly Cloudy.
    • Hi: 76° F

Other Locations

> 7 Day Forecast

Doppler Image

Published: 2008-05-18 14:34:00
Updated: 2008-05-19 13:21:56

Amber Alert issued for missing Smithfield boy


Siraj Munir Davenport
Siraj Munir Davenport
print friendly

State authorities issued an Amber Alert Sunday afternoon after a child disappeared from a Smithfield flea market.

Three-year-old Siraj Munir Davenport, also known as Roji, is approximately 3 feet tall and weighs 35 pounds. He has dark brown hair and brown eyes.

Roji was last seen Sunday at the Brightleaf Flea Market on U.S. Highway 301 South in Smithfield, wearing a light blue T-shirt with a yellow truck on the front, dark blue sweat pants and Adidas tennis shoes.

The boy's mother told police she was loading produce into her car and that when she looked down, the child was gone.

Police shut down the flea market and searched customers' cars. Sheriff's deputies also searched the Neuse River by boat for the boy and conducted an extensive ground search.

The ground search was called off about 6 p.m. Sunday evening because of bad weather but was expected to resume Monday morning.

Teachers from Roji's pre-school also gathered to search for him. They said he is a well-behaved child and that it is not like him to wander off.

“Roji is a happy, sweet polite, fun-loving little boy," teacher Susan Barbour said. "He had the cutest smile. He is unforgettable, and that's why he's stuck in our hearts. That's why we're here wanting to help. He's a special little boy."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also assisting in the search.

Anyone with information about Roji's whereabouts should contact the Johnston County Emergency Services at 919-934-9411, call 911 or the state Highway Patrol at *HP on their cellular phones.

  • Web Editor: Anne Johnson

46 Comments


WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

View Comments VIEW ALL 46 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments.

Latest Comments
cheddarhead, not-today, iron fist...

I've watched my family's children many times. I have memories from when I was three. I spoke with my dad just to confirm that I remembered correctly.

At an age before "I knew better", my parents didn't give me the chance to run off. I was either in the cart, or in my seat of the car.

I can't speak to this case, but if the three year old was in the parking lot even for a second unattended (or unsupervised), it was a recipe for disaster. The child could have taken a few steps in "a few seconds" and been hit by a vehicle, etc.

Parents overall do not watch their kids today. If you don't believe me, go to a local restaurant or department store. It's filled with children running unattended. Try speaking to a parent of a kid that is running "circles" around your table and screaming and they get angry.

Rev. RB, my fridge stays stocked with juices for all of the kids that come over, but when they want to leave and go elsewhere my kids want to go with them. My neighborhood is not good at all and unfortunately mine are the only white children here, so teaching the other kids really doesn't mean anything if the parents don't enforce it.

Hope everything turns out ok, although, I nodded with another poster that before I load the groceries, I load up the kids in the car and lock

cheddarhead - For exactly the reasons that you state, my children were always in the car in their car seats before the groceries were loaded, but then we don't know all the details of this story either.

God bless.

Rev. RB

"My children think I'm crazy, but I don't let them pal around with all the other kids in our neighborhood, because the parents aren't watching THEM - just for this simple reason will I not let my kids out of my sight for 1 minute, they might resent it, but at least they'll be safe."

I understand, and it was the same for me when mine were growing up - but then, my house and yard was open to all the neighborhood children so that mine at least had nearby friends, and perhaps those who were unsupervised saw and learned what a loving home really was.

God bless.

Rev. RB

View Comments VIEW ALL 46 COMMENTS