Grandmother Questioned In Indiana Boy's Disappearance

OXFORD, Ind. -- Police say they fear an Oxford boy who has been missing since August may have been the victim of foul play.

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Grandmother To Take Polygraph Sheriff: Foul Play Possible

The grandmother of Nicolas Zavala (pictured, left), 12, told police she left him Aug. 4 at an Oxford library, where a friend was to pick him up for a camping trip, RTV6's Sarah Fraidin reported.

Investigators, though, haven't been able to confirm the existence of the friend, Benton County Sheriff Ernie Winchester said Wednesday.

"(The grandmother said she) let him go camping with a friend of his, Kevin. We checked with the schools, and there is no such person as Kevin," Winchester said. "That's what we're having trouble with."

The grandmother, Margaret Williams, said she could recognize Kevin if she saw him, but is afraid she may have the wrong name.

"I asked them to take me to the school, I could point the kid out," Williams (pictured, below) said.

Winchester said investigators believe foul play is possible, but they have no suspect in Nicolas' disappearance. He said Nicolas could have run away, but he doubts the boy would have been able to live on his own for this long.

After initially refusing to take a polygraph test, Williams now says she will take one -- but only after she gets a lawyer, Fraidin reported. She reported him missing Aug. 13, police said.

"I will take it, I will pass it, and then they can get up off their asses and bring him home here," Williams said.

Nicolas' mother, who lives out of state, took a polygraph test in Indiana last week and passed, police said.

Winchester said investigators are "back to square one."

Williams told Fraiding that she doesn't appreciate the way officials are investigating the case.

"These people are telling me that I'm doing all this stuff. No matter what I tell them, they tell me I'm a liar. 'Get off your fat asses and find my grandson instead of accusing me," Williams said.

Before going to live with his grandmother, Nicolas was in foster care. Police said he was abused in that environment, and that's why they believe he wouldn't run away from his grandmother's home, where he was involved in church and school, Fraidin reported.

"We're looking for new leads, anything that can help us," Winchester said.

"I tell them the truth, they tell me I'm a liar, I'm an alcoholic, a drug addict, I'm abusive -- I don't know where they got that from. They say my son has him tied up in the garage, they come, he's not there, they say I'm lying ... I can't take much more of this," Williams said.