Friends, neighbors gather to search for missing Crystal boy

Flier about Barway Collins
Stuffed toys surrounded a flier about missing 10-year-old Barway Collins outside his apartment building in Crystal, Minn., Thursday, March 26, 2015.
Riham Feshir | MPR News

As volunteers gathered to help in the search for Barway Collins, the elementary student gone for more than a week, Shelia Bradley-Smith broke down in tears. News of the missing boy revived memories of her two little nieces' disappearance 14 years ago.

"Those of us that are personally touched by it are those of us that have missing family members," Bradley-Smith said. "We relive it. We relive it just like the day it happened to one of ours."

Her nieces, 10 and 3, were never found.

Shelia Bradley-Smith
Shelia Bradley-Smith broke down in tears as she discussed her two little nieces' disappearance 14 years ago at a gathering in Crystal, Minn., Thursday, March 26, 2015 in an effort to find missing Crystal boy Barway Collins.
Riham Feshir | MPR News

Bradley-Smith called on her Crystal neighbors, friends and Liberian community members from other Minneapolis suburbs Thursday in an effort to find 10-year-old Barway Collins. Some knew him from the neighborhood.

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Two dozen people gathered Thursday outside Barway's apartment complex, where police say he was last seen Wednesday, March 18. They passed out fliers, knocked on doors and asked residents and businesses if they'd seen the boy.

Keira Thrasher's daughter goes to school with Barway at Evergreen Park World Cultures Community School in Brooklyn Center. Thrasher, of Brooklyn Park, knows him from chaperoning field trips and other school events.

Handing out fliers she had printed, Thrasher said she was hopeful.

The group prays
The group prayed before heading off to look for Barway Collins Thursday, March 26, 2015.
Riham Feshir | MPR News

"The more people see that little face, the more likely somebody is to spot him or possibly hear something that could be of value."

The group plans to meet again Saturday and invite more neighbors, friends and family to continue searching, if the child is still missing.

"We'll keep doing this as long as possible until we can get little Barway to come home," Seyon Nyanwleh said. "We are all heartbroken, we're saddened."

Barway Edwin Collins
The Crystal Police Department is seeking the public's help locating 10-year-old Barway Edwin Collins of Crystal.
Courtesy of Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

The Crystal Police Department has raised the reward for information on the disappearance of Barway to $12,000.

Police are focusing their attention on the child's family. They said Thursday law enforcement concentrated on an area along the Mississippi River near Interstate Highways 694 and 94 in Brooklyn Center and the surrounding area.

Barway is described as African-American, 5 feet tall and weighing 80 pounds. He was carrying a red backpack when he stepped off a school bus, approached his apartment building, and then turned away.