COLUMBUS, Ohio — Robin Stepp can only hold on to the memories of her only child, Cody.
“I remember everything about him. The day he was born, I remember everything about him he just light up my life,” she said.
Cody was reported missing on March 11, 1997. He was living at his grandmother’s house, in the custody of Robin’s sister, who told police the 3-year-old boy disappeared while playing in a neighbor’s backyard.
Robin was serving time in prison for theft and was set to be released the next day.
She held on to hope for years that he would be found alive, but a private investigator revealed information to her recently, that leads her to believe Cody is now dead.
“I know I’ll be in heaven with him,” she said.
Now Robin is receiving hospice care, and is desperate to find out what happened to Cody before she dies.
“I would like to say if someone knows something, please say something now while I am still here on earth to have some closure,” she said.
Retired Columbus Police Detective Jim McCoskey worked on Cody’s case for years. He also believes Cody is dead and said he believes Cody’s aunt or grandmother are connected to his disappearance. Both have since passed away.
Cody’s case has haunted the neighborhood on Columbus’ south side for years.
“I wish there is some way they could close it,” said Beulah Tackett who moved into the house next door to Cody’s aunt and grandmother, just months after the boy was missing from her backyard, finding herself stuck in the middle of the case.
“Police were here last year, they dug in my backyard, and they found nothing, absolutely nothing and they even cleaned out my shed and brought trash cans emptying everything out but no kid,” Tackett said.
The Columbus Division of Police did not return to a request for comment on the status of the case. Anyone with information on the case can call the CPD Missing Persons Unit at 614-645-2358.