Account
Apr 15, 2010
Jan 04, 2024
Aaron
Stepp
30
3
38 inches
39 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
In the late afternoon of March 11, 1997, three-year-old Aaron Cody Stepp was reported missing from his Columbus, Ohio neighborhood. The little boy, who was known as Cody, was allegedly last seen playing in a neighbor's backyard on Hosack Street. At the time of his disappearance, Cody was in the legal custody of his maternal aunt, Mickey Stepp, because his mother, Robyn Stepp, was incarcerated. The report of his disappearance was made just one day before his mother was scheduled to be released from prison. According to his aunt, she had briefly gone to a nearby store, and when she returned, Cody was gone. He was described as a white male with blond hair and blue eyes, and at the time he went missing, he was approximately 3 feet 2 inches tall and weighed around 39 pounds. The investigation into Cody's disappearance quickly revealed troubling inconsistencies and a concerning family history. Authorities found no physical evidence, such as clothing, toys, or even recent photos, to suggest that Cody had been living at his aunt's home. This lack of evidence led investigators to question whether he had been gone long before he was officially reported missing. Neighbors also stated that they had not seen the child for up to a year prior to the date he was reported missing. Further complicating the case were allegations that Cody's aunt and maternal grandmother, Janice Stiles, may have been involved in his disappearance. It was discovered that another child had been used to impersonate Cody at a doctor's appointment a month before he was reported missing. The family's history also included the death of another young child in 1964; Janice Stiles's two-year-old daughter passed away from what was officially listed as bronchitis, although an autopsy revealed numerous burns on her body. Over the years, the search for Aaron Cody Stepp has been met with few leads and many dead ends. His mother, Robyn, has voiced her belief that her family was somehow involved, suggesting they may have sold or given her son away. Police have considered the possibility of foul play from the beginning of their investigation. There was an unconfirmed sighting of a child matching Cody's description in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, several months after he was reported missing, but this lead did not result in his recovery. In 2008, acting on a tip, investigators conducted a search for the boy's remains in a south Columbus neighborhood, but nothing was found. The case remains unsolved, and despite the passage of time, the search for answers continues. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has released age-progressed photos of what Cody might look like as he has gotten older in the hope that someone might recognize him. The Columbus Police Department continues to ask for anyone with information to come forward.
Mar 11, 1997
Columbus
Ohio
Franklin County
30431
Columbus Division of Police
Columbus
Ohio
Franklin County
43215
Timothy Hedrick
Detective
120 Marconi Boulevard, Ohio
6146454545
Local
Law Enforcement
252937
Columbus Division of Police
Blond/Strawberry
Blue
Blue
06/05/2026
