By james art 
A amber signal remains active for Juan Sebastian Mejja Asevedo.
Virginia Beach, Washington-Police Department of Virginia Beach continues to investigate the disappearance of a 12-year-old as abduction.
The family of Juan Sebastian Mejgie Asevedo has received demands for ransom through social media, prompting police to treat the case as a kidnapping, according to new information from the Virginia Beach Police Department.
Juan was last seen by his parents in the 200 block of Mika Avenue on Friday around 9am, his parents think he was in a friend’s house, and they contacted police around 9:00 pm when he did not return. Amber signal was issued early Saturday.
As the officers were looking for, the family went on Facebook live to attach their friends and family to help find Juan. While on Facebook Live, they began to receive ransom requests via WhatsApp, which caused police to treat the case as abduction, police said on Sunday afternoon.
“Yesterday, to help our efforts, we put the federal partners to complement our resources, enchanted the neighborhood and surrounding areas, collected video footage, used drones, rented blood from the Hampton police station and the Virginia state police and talked to Juwan repeatedly Juan of Juan Friends and Family, “the Virginia Beach Police Department said in a Sunday statement.
Sunday search efforts will include drones and helicopters, if the conditions allow, as well as a patrol and additional uniformed officers to increase detectives that are developing in the neighborhoods.
Local graduates of the Police Academy of Spanish citizens also help to talk to neighbors and translate if necessary.
An anonymous digital evidence portal has been created for people to send photos or videos that can help search Juan.
“Although we do not believe that this is a mission of recovery, an abundance of caution, we have unleashed our marine patrol unit for searching lakes and lakes, not leaving a stone overturned,” the police said.
In response to online speculation, police also said they had talked to immigration and customs implementation (ICE) and confirmed that Juan was not in their arrest.
“We are doing our best to find Juan and bring it back to his family,” said VBPD police chief Paul Neydgigating. “The help of the community is crucial and we urge anyone who has seen or heard something to contact us immediately.”
Juan is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, 105 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray jacket, a red hood and blue pants. If someone sees it please call 911 immediately.
This is a developing story. Stay with 13news now for more information.