Mother's worst nightmare unfolds as boy goes missing for 30 minutes; neighbor arrested

A 7-year-old boy was lured into a Houston apartment complex for 30 minutes, according to local authorities. The Houston Police Department reported that the incident occurred at noon on Aug. 25 in the 3100 block of Hayes Road on the city's west side.

"I keep telling him, 'They like little boys, too. It's not just girls," the mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said. "It's scary.

Neighbor Kenneth Gage, 33, allegedly approached the child with his dog, initiating a seemingly innocent interaction. "He saw the dog and started petting it, and once he was about to leave, he drug him up there and said, 'Hey, you wanna play this game,' and, 'I got snacks,'" the victim's mother told ABC13.

The mother realized her son was missing and immediately began searching for him, calling out his name. After about 30 minutes, the boy reappeared at the bottom of some stairs. Upon telling her what happened, the child pointed out the suspect's apartment to his mother.

Confronting Gage, the mother recounted, "I asked, 'Why is my son in your house?' And he stated, 'Well, he and another little boy comes and plays with my gaming system.' I was like, 'I don't know you. My son doesn't know you.'"

The Houston Police Department intervened after the mother contacted them. During questioning, Gage reportedly admitted to having the boy inside his apartment and taking non-explicit photographs of him. "He's a kid. You don't have consent," the mother emphasized.

Gage now faces a felony kidnapping charge. Court documents describe him as disabled and unemployed. The mother expressed her ongoing fears about the possibility of Gage returning to the apartment complex. "You're a predator in my book," she said.