James Richard Howell

Jimmy Howell, 9, listed on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Web site as Illinois’ oldest active missing child case, stumbled upon a pigeon fluttering lamely. He noticed one of its wings was broken.

Jimmy ran to a neighbor’s house and begged wood to build a cage. The neighbor obliged, and the excited child ran home with an armful of planks.

Explaining his idea, he asked his 11-year-old sister, Debra, for help.

Of course, Debra said, but they’d need a hammer. She went inside.

When Debra came out, all that was left was the wood her little brother had clutched — scattered in the middle of the street in front of the home at 1308 W. 13th St., where he and his sister lived with his parents, Sharon and Comell Hutch.

His sister said she couldn’t have been inside the house more than a minute.

“A 9-year-old — it’s not like leaving a 3-year-old outside, in terms of survival skills,” said the national center’s Jerry Nance. “A lot of times when these things happen, it’s just like a blitz attack.”

Jimmy’s sister has never given up hope. But though they’ve kept the case open for 38 years, Whiteside County officials say it’s not likely they’ll find Jimmmy, not alive.

“It was of special interest to a former sheriff who passed away. He took it close to heart, and wanted that file forwarded each year,” said Whiteside County sheriff’s Detective Pat Carney. “We get tips from the Center whenever they find a male body matching certain descriptions.”

Maudlyne Ihejirika