Circumstances of Disappearance
Montelongo was last seen playing outside of his Texas home on July 12, 1977. Montelongo's mother called police officers on that afternoon to report that her son had disappeared.
Investigators and emergency personnel were immediately dispatched to search the area. Moments later a San Benito resident reported that he had seen the small boy walking down Alamo Street; however, nothing was found after officers combed the area. Neighbors were interviewed and leads were followed, but no information revealed Montelongo's whereabouts.
Police officers quickly learned that Montelongo liked to play near a drainage ditch close to his home. At the time of his disappearance, the water level at the ditch was high, raising the possibility that the current swept him away. Another possibility is that he wandered away and someone picked him up.