Police: NYC subway photo not of missing autistic boy

NEW YORK Police are investigating whether a photo of a boy riding a subway train is that of an autistic boy missing for nearly a month.

A 13-year-old snapped the picture Tuesday and later posted it on his Facebook page.

The picture shows a young man on a subway train who bears a striking resemblance to Avonte Oquendo. The 14-year-old, who cannot communicate verbally, was last seen on surveillance video leaving the Center Boulevard School in Queens on Oct. 4.

A 13-year-old boy took the picture on Tuesday while riding the F train and later posted it on his Facebook page. The photo shows the boy sitting and looking straight ahead. He's wearing a beige jacket and green khaki pants.

CBS Station WCBS reports investigators tracked down the teen who snapped the picture, who told them he couldn't get the boy to engage in conversation.

Avonte's family said they it can't be sure that the boy in the picture is Avonte, but Vanessa Fontaine, Avonte's mother, said the boy in the picture does look like her son.

"You really can't see the full face, but from a side view, it resembles him," she told WCBS. "I don't know his state of mind at this point. He's been gone 26 days from home, so maybe he's out of it, because the kid looks like he's out of it -- he's just staring into space."

Fontaine said she remains hopeful Avotne will be found.

"I don't celebrate yet, but I'm saying keep hope alive. There's hope there that it may be him," she said. "If it's him, I'm happy, and if it isn't him, the search continues."

"We've seen a lot of photos turn out to be dead ends and not him, but this one may be the closest one," said Avonte's brother, Anthony Fontaine.

Since his disappearance, police have tracked down about 500 leads, but all have been dead ends.

Anyone with information is asked to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS, visit the Crime Stoppers website, or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577.

The reward for Avonte's safe return is now up to $95,000.