Elizabeth

Where Is Kevin? 20 Years Later, Investigators Hope to Crack Case of Missing New Jersey Toddler

Authorities believe he met with foul play; a photo composite shows what he could look like at 22 years old

What to Know

  • Kevin Barthrop vanished near his Elizabeth, New Jersey, home on Saturday, June 12, 1999; he had recently turned 2 years old
  • Authorities believe he met with foul play; a photo composite shows what he could look like at 22 years old
  • A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the discovery of Barthrop or an arrest in his disappearance

More than 20 years after a barely 2-year-old New Jersey boy vanished near his home, prosecutors reissued a call Monday for information from the public in hopes of cracking the now decades-old cold case.

Kevin Barthrop was last seen near his home on Chilton Street in Elizabeth on Saturday, June 12, 1999. He vanished shortly after his 2nd birthday. 

As part of the continuing investigation, a New Jersey State Police sketch artist created a photo composite that shows what Barthrop may look like at 22 (above). The image has been shared by local, county and federal authorities online and in the neighborhood where Barthrop was seen in the two weeks before he vanished, prosecutors said. 

Union County authorities said Monday individuals believed to have information about Barthrop's "fate" are known to be living in Essex and Union counties, as well as in North Carolina. Authorities did not identify those individuals by name or relation to the missing toddler, now an adult. 

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the discovery of Barthrop, who is thought to have met with foul play, or an arrest in the case. Anyone with information about Barthrop's disappearance is asked to contact Sgt. Michael Manochio (908-966-2287) or Sgt. Janet Lopez (908-347-8491) with the Union County prosecutor's office. Anonymous tips can be submitted by phone at 908-654-TIPS or online at www.uctip.org.

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