On Tuesday afternoon, officials said Casey was playing with two children he is related to in the backyard of his grandmother's house in Ernul.
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According to the FBI, the two children went back inside, but Casey was not with them.
A search for him began roughly 50 minutes later.
Around 600 volunteers came out to help search for the boy on Wednesday; however, their search was challenged by cold temperatures and rugged terrain.
According to National Weather Service data, the night Casey went missing, temperatures in Craven County were below freezing for roughly six hours.
Sheriff Chip Huges said the child wasn't dressed properly for the weather.
Casey is 2'4", weighs 25 pounds, has strawberry blonde hair, and brown eyes.
He was last seen wearing a blue coat and dark-colored pants.
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Anyone with information should call (252) 633-0498 or the NC State Bureau of Investigation at (919) 662-4500.
Search efforts will resume at 8 a.m..
Here's a timeline of his disappearance:
Jan. 22
1 p.m.: Casey goes missing while playing with two other children in his grandmother's backyard
1:45 p.m.: 911 call is made to report him missing after his family searched for him for 45 minutes
Jan. 23
7:30 a.m.: Authorities encourage volunteers to meet at the intersection of Aurora and Toler roads to assist with the search
9 a.m.: Roughly 55-65 volunteers search the area. Authorities announce they have no leads, according to WCTI
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9:30 a.m.: Volunteers grow to as many as 200; officials stop accepting additional volunteers for the search
2 p.m.: Sheriff Chip Hughes said divers were searching ponds near the grandmother's home; said they won't stop searching until the boy is found
Afternoon: FBI, state investigators, and Marines join search efforts
5 p.m.: Hughes said they're treating it like a missing child investigation
6 p.m.: The community gathers for a prayer vigil
9:30 p.m.: All volunteers end the search for the night
Jan. 24
8 a.m.: Search scheduled to resume