On the night of March 30, 2025, Jonathan Hoang — a 21-year-old man with autism and complex medical needs — was last seen heading to bed in his Arlington, Washington, home. By the time his mother opened his door the next morning, Jonathan had vanished.

“I know you're hurting and asking for help, asking to come home no matter what. Know that we will never stop loving you, looking for you forever. Daddy loves you,” Thao Hoang, Jonathan’s father, said in an emotional video.

Over forty days later, he remains missing — and his family and autism community are alleging that the system failed him. Law enforcement, however, says their ability to act has been constrained by legal standards, including a lack of evidence indicating foul play, which has limited their ability to obtain warrants or formally launch a criminal investigation.

“Since his disappearance, we've faced things that no family should have to endure: obstacles, delays in necessary action, delays in communication, and a lack of urgency,” the family wrote on their Find Jonathan Facebook page.

📍Timeline Snapshot

• March 30, 7:30 p.m. — Jonathan is last seen heading to bed in his Arlington, WA home.
• March 31, 7:00 a.m. — His mother finds his bed empty. Jonathan is reported missing that day.
• April 1–3 — Case is transferred to the Major Crimes (MCU) Unit during this time period, per authorities. No formal investigation is launched, according to the family.
• April 4 — Case formally assigned to a lead detective, prior to conclusion of the SAR operation, per authorities. MCU  takes over the case, five days after disappearance and EMPA is issued after pressure, according to family and advocates.
• April 5 —Over 150 volunteers and first responders were involved in a six-day search totaling more than 4,000 man-hours, according to the Sheriff’s Office — including drones, helicopters, scent-tracking dogs, and man trackers.
• April 9 — Family publicly pleads for foul play investigation, citing complete lack of physical evidence found during ground search.
• April 10 — SAR and Northwest Human Remains Detection canines search neighborhood again.
• April 19 — Additional drone search conducted near Jonathan’s home per police.
• April 22 — Jonathan’s parents gain emergency guardianship, legally changing how the case should be handled (no longer a voluntary missing adult).
• April 25–26 — Stillaguamish River searched on foot and by helicopter police said.
• April 28 — Sheriff command staff meets with Jonathan’s family. Family states Jonathan’s case is still not being investigated as a crime. Advocates push for digital evidence preservation before 30-day data auto-deletion window ends.
• May 9 — Jonathan still missing after 40 days.

🚨 The Night Jonathan Vanished — and the Critical Hours Lost

Jonathan vanished without his phone, shoes, or beloved hoodie — all items he never left home without. Police confirmed Jonathan took his Ipad.

According to the family, the case was not treated as a criminal investigation for five days — a delay they argue was critical. However, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) states the case was transferred to the Major Crimes Unit between April 2 and 3 and formally assigned to a detective on April 4, overlapping with the end of the initial search-and-rescue operation.

“This timeline confirms a five-day delay in initiating a criminal investigation... unacceptable given Jonathan’s status as a vulnerable adult,” according to the Autism Foundation.

On April 7, the family reached out to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children but was told that only law enforcement can initiate direct support.

⚠️ Red Flags: How Jonathan’s Autism Was Reportedly Overlooked by Police

From the beginning, red flags were reportedly missed, according to the Hoang family and Autism Foundation. Jonathan wasn’t prone to wandering. He had no history of running away and was still enrolled in a high school transitions program. 

“Jonathan, as an adult with autism — someone with rigid routines and sensory needs — did not have a tendency to deviate from established behaviors. Leaving behind key items is not typical behavior for Jonathan and should have been treated as a serious red flag,” the Autism Foundation noted.

Despite this, authorities initially treated the case as a search-and-rescue operation and maintained that there was “no evidence of a crime.” The Endangered Missing Person Alert (EMPA) was not activated until April 4 — five days later. The family asserts that this only happened after they contacted the Washington State Patrol and lobbied public officials directly.

The SCSO, however, says Jonathan was entered into the national missing persons database on March 31, and that alternative community alert methods — including reverse 911 calls and social media — were used in the early stages. They noted that the EMPA lacks the wide-reaching alerts of AMBER or Silver Alerts, and that formal case transfer to the Major Crimes Unit occurred by April 4.

“No evidence of foul play cannot mean no possibility of foul play — especially when no comprehensive interviews, forensic analysis, or surveillance review had been done,” the Autism Foundation added.

It wasn’t until April 22 that Jonathan’s parents were granted emergency guardianship — a legal shift that means Jonathan’s case should no longer have been treated as a voluntary missing adult.

However, the family feels that there has been no meaningful change in how the case is being handled.

📹 Digital Evidence Left Untouched? iCloud Access, Surveillance, and Missed Opportunities

The family was told Apple denied access to Jonathan’s iCloud data, only to later hear conflicting reports. The family says they warned law enforcement about the 30-day auto-deletion window, urging them to issue a preservation letter.

Detectives say they worked closely with Apple, Google, and Microsoft and reported no electronic activity on Jonathan’s accounts. Apple was unable to locate the iPad using the “Find My” app. However, inquiries about potential Wi-Fi router logs are ongoing, per SCSO.

Jonathan’s iPad does not have cellular data and could not be pinged, SCSO maintains.

Detectives are unable to get further data from these companies at this point without a warrant. A forensic analysis of Jonathan’s phone and computer, which were left at home, and reported finding nothing of evidentiary value.

Yet one unnamed search-and-rescue deputy has remained actively engaged — flying drones and checking waterways even after the ground search was officially suspended. The family commended this deputy as the only person from SCSO who consistently showed empathy and dedication.

While SCSO claimed to have reviewed surveillance footage, advocates say the burden of canvassing businesses and collecting video was placed on the family.

“Surveillance videos that might have captured movement or known persons of interest were collected by the family and advocates, not law enforcement,” the Autism Foundation stated.

🚫 Breakdown in Police Communication, According to Advocates

“We initiated contact early in the case through multiple emails and phone calls that were left unanswered. These outreach efforts occurred well before any public requests were made for additional community support, underscoring that early communication challenges were not due to high call volume,” the Autism Foundation said.

Jonathan’s sibling echoed that pain in a message to a SAR deputy he posted online:

“All I have are photos and my own memories. I can’t sleep at night. All I can think about is what someone could have done or is doing to him… Something I’m really frightened of is everyone forgetting… the people who could be helping us don’t seem to care.”

In response, the Sheriff’s Office says they have maintained consistent communication with the family and their private investigator and continue to follow leads. Multiple in-person meetings occurred between April 11 and April 28, including with the lead investigator, a bureau chief, and Sheriff Johnson, SCSO said.

🔍 Why Foul Play Can’t Be Ruled Out

Authorities continue to maintain that there’s no evidence of foul play, per the family. But advocates say that conclusion was drawn too early — before certain critical steps like forensic collection and extensive interviews were conducted.

According to the family, offers of help from outside professionals — including FBI profilers and the Washington State Patrol’s missing persons unit — were not accepted due to jurisdictional constraints. Yet the Sheriff’s Office said they have not declined any assistance.

"Our investigators have already been in touch with peers from different agencies, including WSP’s Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit, about the case and are always thinking about who could add value or contributions to an investigation," SCSO said.

The Sheriff’s Office states that while no evidence currently indicates a crime, they have not ruled out any possibility. Investigators say they continue to explore all leads, but legal thresholds have not been met to obtain warrants or officially categorize the case as a criminal investigation.

“I can’t stop thinking about if he is alive and being cared for or if someone used and discarded him… All I know with certainty is that he isn’t here at home, where he wanted to be, where he wanted to stay,” Jonathan’s brother wrote.

📉 What Happens Now: Calls for Oversight

No new updates have been shared with the family. Advocates are now calling for independent oversight at the state and federal level.

Police still consider Jonathan a missing, endangered person.

“Our investigators continue to follow all leads and are committed to bringing Jonathan home,” the SCSO said. “While there is currently no evidence of foul play, we have not ruled out any possibilities.”

📢 How You Can Help Find Jonathan Hoang

If you have any information about Jonathan Hoang’s whereabouts, contact 911 immediately.

Here’s how you can help:

✅ Share Jonathan’s flyer

✅ Donate to the family’s GoFundMe

✅ Sign the public petition for state & federal oversight

✅ Share this story online

🧠 Are you connected to tech, law, media, or government?

You may be in a position to help unlock critical evidence. Jonathan’s iPad may still be trackable through Wi-Fi logs, but access is restricted. The family urgently needs:

• Legal/tech experts to engage Apple or push for a digital preservation order
• Contacts within FBI, WSP, or legislators to press for multi-agency cooperation
• Media professionals to elevate Jonathan’s story on a national level

📬 Contact the family via the Help Find Jonathan Hoang Facebook page if you can help.

Sources: This article, including the timeline of events and quotes used, was pieced together using information from public statements by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, posts and videos shared by the Hoang family on the Help Us Find Jonathan Facebook page, and statements from the Autism Foundation. This story reflects the experiences and concerns of the Hoang family and advocacy organizations. We have been in contact with SCSO and will provide updates as the case evolves.