HAMPTON, Va. - The search is still on for missing 4-year-old Codi Bigsby and police announced a major update to the case on Thursday.
Codi's father, 43-year-old Cory Bigsby, was considered a person of interest, and according to a source close to the investigation, he has now been arrested.
Police said he was taken to adult intake and charged with seven counts of felony child neglect, stemming from incidents that go back well over a month.
Cory will be arraigned on the child neglect charges in court at 9 a.m. Friday.
As of Wednesday, Cory was at police headquarters voluntarily. Police said he chose to answer their questions and has been there since the day he reported Codi missing.
The Army confirmed Wednesday that Cory is an Army veteran who held the rank of Sgt. 1st Class at the end of service in September 2017. According to court documents, he was previously charged in 2018 with assault and battery involving a family member but was later dismissed.
Police said they still need the public's help with knowing Cory and Codi's last whereabouts. Any information could be of value to the police. They are asking residents of the Old Buckroe neighborhood to search their properties and report anything suspicious.
During a press conference on Monday, Hampton Police Chief Mark Talbot said Codi's dad told authorities he woke up Monday morning and found his son was missing. The father said he looked all over and Codi was nowhere to be found.
Officers searched again and were also unable to find Codi. Police say other young children were in the home and they are safe.
After the announcement of Cory's arrest, Hampton Police said Thursday night that Codi still has not been found. Search efforts will continue through the weekend.
Chief Talbot, the FBI and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management will hold a press conference at the Rupert Sergeant Building at 1 Franklin Street at noon Friday to provide the latest updates in the investigation.
"This is not the conclusion of the investigative process — we will continue to do everything in our power to find Codi," police said in a statement Thursday night.
If you know anything, you're asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (1-888-562-5887) or submit a tip online at P3Tips.com or via the P3Tips app.
Can you answer "yes" to any of these questions? If so, we need to hear from you! Scan the QR code for more information. pic.twitter.com/ndYuQWBUgq
— Hampton VA Police (@HamptonVAPolice) February 3, 2022
