Father of 11-year-old boy found after going missing faces unrelated charges

The father of a boy who went missing after having a “bad day” has been arrested and charged after police allegedly discovered a drug lab in his home.

The father of an 11-year-old boy found alive after going missing has been arrested and charged after police discovered an alleged drug lab in his home.

Christopher Wilson was found safe after going missing in Sydney’s Hills District and spending the night in freezing temperatures.

He was reported missing after failing to return home on Wednesday afternoon.

Police went to give the boy’s 29-year-old father the good news after a member of the public spotted him walking along the road just before 9:30am on Thursday.

But when officers arrived at his house, they allegedly found a locked room in his house, which police will allege contained a hydroponic drug lab.

A crime scene was established and police also seized two gel blaster firearms.

Kristy Crabb found Annangrove boy, Christopher Wilson, aged 11, who had been missing since 3.30pm yesterday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

The father was charged with cultivate prohibited plant, and two counts of possess unauthorised pistol.

He will appear at Parramatta Local Court on July 27.

His 11-year-old boy was described as a “quiet young fella” following his disappearance after getting off a school bus.

Christopher exited the bus on Annangrove Road at 3.20pm but never returned home that afternoon.

“It looks like Christopher went on a little bit of an adventure into the bush and overnight he obviously put his head down somewhere, we think in some bushland,” Superintendent Darrin Batchelor told reporters during a press conference.

“We’re extremely relieved, it’s a great outcome.”

The Annangrove Public School student was reported missing to police by his stepmother after he did not come home after school.

Family and friends held fears for his whereabouts due to his age. Picture: NSW Police

Police were hoping the youngster sought shelter as temperatures plummeted overnight. Picture: NSW Police

“I want to thank members of the community, there was so many Crime Stoppers calls and messages on social media,” Superintendent Batchelor said.

Images of the schoolboy were shared on social media and sent out a geo-targeted text message was to local residents.

Temperatures dropped to a bitter 4C overnight and the 11-year-old was not believed to have any cash or food.

Just alter 9am, Christopher was found by two strangers after spending the night in bushland.

He was spotted walking along Annangrove Road, near Joylyn Road by local woman Kristy Crabb – less than 1.5km away from where he was spotted 0n CCTV on Wednesday afternoon.

Ms Crabb said that the boy was freezing cold, dressed in his school shorts and a pair of sandals, when she reached him on the side of the road.

She wrapped a jumper around him and was hugging him to warm him up.

CCTV footage from outside a home shows the last moments before he vanished. Picture: NSW Police

Police gave him a cookie and paramedics are attending to him, though he appears uninjured despite being out in the cold all night.

He has been taken to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for possible mild hypothermia and his parents are on their way to be reunited with their son.

“His family are extremely distressed, particularly as the temperatures overnight have been quite cold,” Superintendent Darrin Batchelor told reporters on Thursday morning before he was found.

“They’ve had a really rough night and have been out looking overnight.”

He said it was not unusual that Christopher has not been in touch with friends and said he has been described as a “quiet young fella” who enjoys playing electronic games.

Christopher was taken to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for possible mild hypothermia. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Police were notified of a sighting of Christopher walking along Annangrove Road towards Langlands Road at 4.45pm.

A member of the public captured video of Christopher walking down the street on their home surveillance camera and reported it to police, his identity was later confirmed by family.

An extensive search of the area took place through the night involving police as well as a Polair plane, officers from Police Rescue, and 15 members of the SES.

The area has a number of abandoned properties and large acreage properties and police hoped that the boy may have found shelter for the night.

Residents along Annangrove Road had canvassed and multiple calls to Crime Stoppers were followed up.

Police investigated his Opal card activity and interviewed his extended family and friends.

A full-scale search resumed at 8am with command headquarters established at The Hills Fire Control Centre in Kenthurst.