Key facts
- Name: Ryan D. Larsen
- Age at disappearance: 11
- Last seen: May 17, 2021, ~11:45 a.m. (school); ~2:00 p.m. (surveillance)
- Location: La Vista West Elementary School, La Vista, Nebraska
- Height / build: 11-year-old boy; autism, Tourette’s, ADHD, epilepsy
- Status: Still missing — open investigation
- Investigating agency: La Vista Police Department
Left alone in the classroom
Ryan Larsen loved hide-and-seek. The 11-year-old, who was autistic, could spend hours tucked into small spaces, waiting to be found. On Monday, May 17, 2021, he was left alone in a classroom at La Vista West Elementary School in La Vista, Nebraska, around 11:45 a.m.
He walked out through the front door. Nobody stopped him.
A surveillance camera at a business across the street from his apartment caught him walking by around 2:00 p.m., heading in the direction of home. Then he walked out of view of the camera. Investigators were never able to find another frame of footage. Ryan never made it home and was never seen again.
He was wearing a black jacket, blue jeans, an Old Navy shirt, and carrying a polka-dot umbrella. He could not tie his shoes or shower on his own. His mother, Tammi Larsen, has said he could not be left alone — and that on that day, he was.
Who Ryan was
Ryan D. Larsen was 11, a sixth-grader in special education, living with autism, Tourette syndrome, ADHD, and epilepsy. He lacked impulse control. He had a history of “elopement” — wandering away — and a habit of seeking out small, quiet places to hide. His family knew exactly how vulnerable he was. That knowledge is what makes the 11:45 a.m. classroom so hard to think about: three people, court documents would later allege, allowed him to walk out of the school.
The investigation
The search was enormous and immediate: local, state, and federal law enforcement, community volunteers, K9 units. Days after the disappearance, K9s picked up a scent of some kind at the Walnut Creek Recreational Area, but it led nowhere definitive. Authorities searched for months. A neighbor spotted him once more that afternoon, less than two miles from the school. Then, nothing.
In the years since, the case has moved through courtrooms as well as search grids. Tammi Larsen filed a federal lawsuit against the Papillion-La Vista school district alleging negligence — that school officials left Ryan unsupervised and that three people allowed him to walk out. In November 2023, Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon dismissed the suit, ruling the family had failed to prove a constitutional violation by the district. The dismissal was without prejudice. About six months earlier, a petition to declare Ryan legally dead had failed in Sarpy County court.
The search never fully stopped. In August 2026 — more than five years on — the volunteer group Bring ‘Em Home Nebraska, founded by private detective Erik Rezabek, organized a fresh search of a reservoir area in Ryan’s case. Rezabek, who says he found his calling working the Sydney Loofe case, takes missing-persons cases at no cost to families. “There is that ten percent that is still missing,” he told WOWT. “You would be amazed at the list.” Ryan Larsen is on that list.
Authorities have given specific guidance: if you see Ryan, do not call his name. Keep your distance and call 911.
Theories: what might have happened
Five years, and the central fact is a vulnerable child, alone, on foot, in daylight.
He hid — and couldn’t get out. The theory his habits point to first: Ryan, who loved small quiet spaces, hid somewhere — a shed, a culvert, a dumpster, a drainage structure — and either couldn’t get out or couldn’t make himself understood. Searchers considered this early and searched accordingly. Against it: the scale of the search, including areas a hiding child would likely be found in.
Water. The K9 interest at Walnut Creek Recreational Area, the reservoir searches — water has been a recurring focus. An 11-year-old who cannot swim well, drawn to water, unsupervised. The August 2026 volunteer reservoir search shows investigators haven’t closed this door. But no evidence has confirmed it.
Abduction. A small, visibly vulnerable child walking alone. It is the theory no one wants to say first and no one can rule out. There is no witness, no vehicle, no evidence for it — and no evidence against it either.
He is alive. The hope the family holds: that someone took him in, or that he is living somewhere unidentified. Five years without a single confirmed sighting makes this the hardest to sustain — but the family has never stopped acting as if it might be true, and neither have the volunteers still searching.
Have information?
Contact the La Vista Police Department: (402) 331-1582. If you see Ryan, do not call his name — keep your distance and call 911. In an emergency, dial 911.
Timeline
- ~2010 — Ryan D. Larsen is born.
- May 17, 2021, ~11:45 a.m. — Ryan is left alone in a classroom at La Vista West Elementary; he walks out the front door.
- May 17, 2021, ~2:00 p.m. — Surveillance across from his apartment catches him walking; he leaves the frame. Last confirmed sighting.
- May–summer 2021 — Massive multi-agency search; K9 scent at Walnut Creek Recreational Area.
- 2023 — Petition to declare Ryan legally dead fails; federal judge dismisses the family’s negligence lawsuit against the school district.
- May 2026 — Five-year anniversary; WOWT reports he “remains missing as the search continues.”
- August 2026 — Bring ‘Em Home Nebraska organizes a volunteer reservoir search.
- Today — Still missing.
FAQ
Is Ryan Larsen still missing?
Yes. As of October 2026, Ryan Larsen has been missing for more than five years. The La Vista Police Department’s investigation remains open, and volunteer groups continue to search.
What happened to Ryan Larsen?
On May 17, 2021, the 11-year-old — who is autistic and has Tourette’s, ADHD, and epilepsy — was left alone in his classroom and walked out of La Vista West Elementary School through the front door. He was caught on surveillance around 2:00 p.m. and then vanished.
Was the school held responsible?
His mother sued the Papillion-La Vista school district for negligence. A federal judge dismissed the case in November 2023, ruling the family hadn’t proven a constitutional violation. The dismissal was without prejudice, meaning the family could refile.
Was Ryan Larsen declared dead?
A petition to declare him legally dead failed in Sarpy County court in 2023. He remains legally a missing person.
How old would Ryan Larsen be today?
Ryan was 11 when he disappeared in May 2021 — he would be 16 in 2026.
What should I do if I think I see Ryan?
Authorities say: do not call his name. Keep your distance and call 911, or contact the La Vista Police Department at (402) 331-1582.
Sources
- Official / law enforcement: La Vista Police Department.
- News: WOWT, “May 17: Ryan Larsen disappears from La Vista school” (May 17, 2026) and “La Vista volunteer group to search reservoir for Ryan Larsen” (Aug 21, 2026); WOWT, “Judge dismisses lawsuit brought by mother of Ryan Larsen against Papillion-La Vista school district” (Nov 1, 2023).
- Reference: The Charley Project, “Ryan D. Larsen.”
Found an error? Tell us via the About page and we will fix it promptly and note the change here. Last verified October 2026.