BUFFALO, N.Y. — Nearly three years later and Joann Ponzo can still barely look at a picture of her son Jaylen Griffin without the pain rushing back.
“Aug. 4, 2020 about 11 o'clock in the morning my son walked to my room and said, ‘Mom, I'm gonna go to the store,’” Ponzo said.
Joann and her mother Shirley Banks have been waiting for Jaylen since, pleading to the public for help, spending these past three years putting up billboards, flyers and online ads with the hope of gaining any information on his whereabouts.
The two tell 2 On Your Side the last new development from authorities came almost two years ago now.
“I'm hoping, and I'm praying every day that one day he'll come back to this door,” Banks said.
On the eve of the three-year anniversary, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is trying to offer the family a glimmer of hope, releasing a photo they say was created by a forensic artist to give those searching for him an idea of how the now 15-year-old Jaylen would look.
But the family has its doubts.
“I hope it can help, but I mean, that picture right there looks like numerous young black guys,” Banks said.
Despite Thursday marking three years since Jaylen went missing, the family says they’re not giving up and will be waiting every day on their porch with the hope that Jaylen comes home.
“I don’t know what the future holds in store, but I’m just gonna keep praying hopefully it’ll be alright, it’ll come out alright,” Banks said.
If you have any information about Jaylen or his disappearance, please contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Buffalo Police Department at 1-716-853-222.
Below is what the age progression photo created by NCEMEC of Jaylen looks like.
To learn more about NCMEC visit www.missingkids.org
To learn more about NCMEC visit www.missingkids.org