UPDATE: The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says the missing 13-year-old was found safe and unharmed Tuesday afternoon.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. – There is still no sign Tuesday morning of a 13-year-old boy from the House Springs area who has been missing since early Monday evening. His family says he has cognitive disabilities and authorities want to make sure he is safe.

Officers searched the area around Carol Park Road in House Springs for 13-year-old Takota Latimer for hours Monday night without any luck. The home where the boy lived is not far from where police were searching.

Authorities told FOX 2 on Tuesday morning that the ground search is over and detectives with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department are now following other leads in hopes of finding Takota. We’re told Takota was last seen wearing a black hoodie with black, oversized jogging pants with a white stripe down the side.

Grant Bissell, a spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, revealed that Takota was last seen at his home around 5:50 p.m. Monday. When Takota’s family realized he was gone, they called crews and the search started around 7:00 p.m. Bissell added that Takota’s family shared that he has cognitive disabilities and is known to wander off.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the High Ridge Fire Protection District headed up the search for Takota last night. Authorities used a bloodhound, did grid searches, and used devices that would detect a heat signature from a person, but they found nothing.

The spokesperson said because the search techniques came up empty and due to some evidence found during the investigation, it’s believed Takota got into a car and left the area. Right now, there is no evidence of a crime or that Takota has been taken against his will.

If you have any information, you are asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department at 636-797-9999. FOX 2 will update this story with more information as it becomes available.