Police search for man after child's death

Posted: 07.17.2010 at 11:13 PM

Authorities are looking for a man who slipped away from police as he was being questioned in the kidnapping and death of a 4-year-old boy in North Texas.

MINERAL WELLS, TEXAS (AP) -- Mineral Wells police say the 23-year-old escaped Friday night as he was being interviewed about the disappearance of Salvador Briones Jr. The child's body was found behind a vacant house a few hours after he was reported missing.

The man being sought by police and the FBI is a family friend and had worked for the child's parents. Authorities say he's a person of interest but hasn't been charged.

The child's aunt tells the Mineral Wells Index that before the family realized the child was missing, his father received a call at work demanding a $15,000 ransom for the boy's safe return.