Police are asking for the public’s help locating a Manhattan man with special needs who vanished over the weekend.
According to police sources, 30-year-old Akhenaton Pires, who has Down Syndrome and is nonverbal, went missing from his Harlem home on Saturday and has not been seen since.
Sources familiar with the investigation report that Pires used to reside with his mother but recently moved in with his sister, who is in the process of moving herself. Needing constant stimulation, family members believe his tablet’s battery may have depleted, leading him to wander out of his home. He was last seen at 12:53 p.m. on April 5.
Pires reportedly can’t read and can only write his name. However, he enjoys trains and riding the subway, particularly the 2 and 3 lines by 116th Street and Lenox Avenue.
Cops are asking the public to keep their eyes open for Pires; he is described as approximately 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighing about 165 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, gray sneakers, and a white bracelet listing his name and address.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
