AJ Elfalak: 3yo boy spending night in hospital after bush ordeal

Police say they are looking into all avenues surrounding the disappearance of three-year-old Anthony “AJ” Elfalak, with senior detectives believing something “doesn’t add up.”

Wearing the same shoes and clothing he had on when he went missing on Friday, and with his nappy heavily soiled, little AJ Elfalak was found near a creek on his family property on Monday, leading police to believe he had miraculously survived for four days in the bush.

Police earlier confirmed they had been investigating the possibility the three-year-old boy was kidnapped and held for three days before his abductors released him into scrubland yesterday.

The toddler was reunited with his ecstatic parents after being spotted by a police chopper, drinking water from a puddle in a creek about 500m from the family’s house on their remote property at Putty, in the Hunter Valley.

As her little boy was placed into her arms by an SES worker who found him, all his tearful mum could do was cry: “My AJ, my AJ, look here at mummy”.

This is the moment Anthony ‘AJ’ Elfalak’s parents are reunited with the 3-year-old. Nothing short of a miracle. Just wow. pic.twitter.com/BLfNKZcPu1

— Adella Beaini (@adellabeaini) September 6, 2021

His father Anthony, 39, described his son’s story of survival with one word: “Miracle”.

Incredibly, the toddler only had minor injuries from falling over and being bitten by ants, suffering from dehydration and a nappy rash after going missing on Friday around 11.30am, sparking a massive day and night search.

AJ, who has autism and is non-verbal, was assessed by paramedics then taken to Maitland Hospital, where he was expected to spend the night. “He’s just clinging to mum. As soon as he heard his mum he opened his eyes, looked at her and fell asleep,” Mr Elfalak said.

Police are looking into claims that four hours of CCTV footage covering the property vanished around the same time AJ went missing from the porch of the family’s home on the 256ha property in the Upper Hunter, about 150km northwest of Sydney.

The family has maintained they thought he was abducted because they said he would never wander off.

Stills from police footage locating missing boy,Anthony 'AJ' Elfalak.

“How did he leave, who did he leave with? Did anything sinister happen? These are questions that need to still be answered and we will not stop until we actually find the truth,” AJ’s godfather Alan Hashem – who was helping Mr Elfalak fix his quad bike when AJ disappeared – said after the toddler was found.

Strike Force Jaylang was launched to lead the investigation and Superintendent Tracy Chapman said although AJ had been found, the case was not closed.

“Obviously, from a policing perspective, we will still be conducting our inquires to try and determine what took place over the last three days,” Supt Chapman said.

Senior detectives have told The Daily Telegraph “there are of lot of things that don’t add up”.

Hampering the investigation is AJ’s autism.

Some police are also sceptical that a toddler could survive three nights in rugged bushland with temperatures dipping to as low as 2C.

They also questioned why hundreds of searchers and sniffer dog teams working day and night, backed up by helicopters, could not find the boy, who was located just 30 minutes’ walk from his home.

Rescuers bringing the boy back to his parents.

AJ goes in the ambulance after being picked up.

3 year old AJ before going missing.

“When he was found, where he was found and even how the little boy seemed has a lot of people scratching their heads,’’ a senior NSW police officer said.

“Also, there are claims that CCTV footage from the property has vanished about the time AJ went missing, which is highly suspicious and has to be looked into.”

The Elfalaks moved with their four boys to the Yengo Drive property earlier this year. Records show it was bought in November 2016 by Ms Elfalak and two associates, Michael and Katia Mallouhi, for $30,000 — which was less than a tenth of what it had last changed hands for in October 2014, when it was purchased for $320,000. Ms Elfalak told police she had only taken her eyes off AJ for a second before he disappeared.

A huge search and rescue operation was put into action immediately, which included officers on trail bikes, Police Rescue, the Dog and Mounted Unit, police divers and PolAir. Police were also helped by NSW Ambulance, State Emergency Service (SES), Rural Fire Service (RFS), and Volunteer Rescue Association officers.

AJ’s mum Kelly Elfalak collapses trying to get to the scene of where her son was found. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer

Family members celebrate after AJ was found. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer

While the very public search was underway, behind the scenes investigators from the NSW Homicide, Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, which handles kidnappings, and the Child Sex Abuse Squad, were being briefed.

“We were ready to investigate any scenario,’’ the senior officer said.

A white dual cab Toyota ute, similar to one which AJ’s relatives reported seeing nearby after he went missing, was seized by police on Sunday night from a nearby property. Mr Elfalak, who remained at home on Monday night with his other boys while his wife accompanied AJ to hospital, said he had never given up hope his son would be found alive.

“I haven’t slept for four days. For four days I’ve been running in the bush, day and night, for AJ and we found him, the guys found him,” Mr Elfalak said. “They found him, he’s alive! That’s the power of prayer. That’s the power of God.’’

The family released a statement thanking everyone who worked to find AJ.

“Our family is together again. For that we are grateful to everyone who has assisted in any way over the last three days,” they said.

“AJ is fine.

“Hold your kids close.”