CLEVELAND — The parent of a missing 13-year-old told News 5 his son is one of the destructive "KIA Boys," and he's asking for help trying to set his son back on the right path.
For nearly the past week, Richard Golden has been looking for his son — 13-year-old Jayden Williams.
In June, court paperwork shows police arrested the teen for stealing a KIA.
Golden believes his son is tied to more KIA and Hyundai thefts but also believes it’s not too late to turn it all around.
"Come home," Golden said. "We miss you. I know your mother misses you. We want to see you back on track and doing the right things."
Last Wednesday, Cleveland police declared Williams an endangered and missing teenager after he left a group home.
RELATED: Cleveland Division of Police searching for missing endangered 13-year-old boy
Over the weekend, Cleveland police issued another missing person report for the 13-year-old, saying he was located on Sunday but went missing less than 12 hours later after being taken to the Jane Edna Hunter Social Services.
Police told News 5 that Williams was located after they received a call for people allegedly breaking into vehicles, but they could not confirm he was breaking into any cars.
"This is not the way," Golden said. "This is not it. Being a 'KIA Boy,' being a gang member is not the way."
For years, News 5 reported on the rise in stolen KIAs and Hyundais. In many of those cases, Investigators said teenagers are responsible for the wrecks and thefts of those kinds of cars.
RELATED: Two dozen teens placed in stolen car pilot program; one sought by police
Golden provided News 5 with multiple videos from his son's private Instagram, showing his son carrying a gun, smoking and referencing himself as one of the "KIA Boys."
"They terrorize the city by going into people’s cars," Golden said.
Golden hasn’t seen his son in person since a court date for that June arrest. Golden told News 5 he lost custody of Williams back in February, and Jayden was ultimately sent to a group home.
But now, Golden is trying to reconnect and reroute his son on a different path before it's too late.
Golden admits that the absence of a stable family situation left his son vulnerable to making bad choices.
"The moment you give up on your child and allow him to hit the streets, he’s going to do what he wants," he said. "Unfortunately, in this day and era, social media has opened the door for these individuals to learn about stealing cars."
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office said it’s starting to feel some relief regarding county-wide car thefts after the “Kia Boys” wreaked havoc for years.
RELATED: Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office starts to feel relief after 'Kia Boys' havoc
If you have any information about Jayden's whereabouts, you're asked to call Cleveland Fifth District Precinct at (216) 623-5500 or the non-emergency number at (216) 621-1234.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Normally, News 5 would not name a juvenile charged with a crime. However, because the teen is missing, the boy's father wants his name used.
Clay LePard is a special projects reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on Twitter @ClayLePard, on Facebook Clay LePard News 5 or email him at Clay.LePard@WEWS.com.
Never miss a big story out of Northeast Ohio. Sign up for the What Happened Now? newsletter today.
