GANNON Stauch is still alive according to police, but there are still no clues as to where he may be 16 days after he went missing from his Colorado home.

At the same time, the young boy's stepmother Letecia released a lengthy statement in which she claimed that the El Paso County Sheriff's Department has cleared her of wrongdoing in the case.

Letecia's claims were not supported or confirmed by law enforcement however, who refused to comment on her statement during a media briefing on Wednesday.

The El Paso County Sheriffs' Office will not say if Letecia was in fact the last person to her stepson.

In her letter, she detailed how she and Gannon allegedly spent the 24 hours before he disappeared from their home in the

"Saturday Night, G was helping me unload in the garage and cut his foot because there are a lot of tools because Albert does woodworking," wrote Letecia.

"He sat on the edge of the car and we bandaged it up. He was good to go. He always loves helping his dad in the garage build things like his LEGO tables and the flower pot they built for me as a gift. After this, I noticed G kept going to the side of the house."

It has been reported by some that this is how Gannon exited his home the last time he was seen, though law enforcement has refused to confirm that claim saying that it is part of the ongoing investigation.

"He told me he was checking to see if the gate was locked because he was the only one with a gate key," claimed Letecia.

"It made him proud to be the man of the house while Albert was away.'

On Sunday the two went for a hike she said, before launching into an explanation into the surveillance video from Monday of Gannon getting into her truck that some believed was damning to her claims that she did not know what happened to the boy.

"Fast forward, we did a hike on Sunday (cleared), and shopping on Monday ( cleared as well for him getting out of the other side). Please don’t think for a second that there isn’t enough of technology to determine shadows and movement around the truck," read the statement.

"There was also proof from my phone that we had taken a selfie in the truck in our driveway that was time stamped. We always send pictures to Albert when we are out and about or when he is away. That can be scanned for actual time verification. Last, from day one the Sheriff's office has known a description of the person/friend whom Gannon left with."

Law enforcement made it clear however that this information was not to be accepted as fact, while refusing to comment further on the claims in Letecia's letter.

The only new information offered up by law enforcement was that the search was now focusing on parts of neighboring Douglass County, including the area around Palmer Lake.

Investigators previously searched the Johnson Reservoir near Gannon's home early last week.

There were over 130 volunteers aiding in the search in Wednesday, the largestturnout to date.

Letecia was sure to thank those individuals for their help in her letter as well, writing that she "would like to thank all agencies, volunteers, and community members who are working diligently and praying endlessly to bring Gannon home safe. Thank you to my husband who has stayed strong through this and protected our family to the best of his ability and our immediate & extended family members throughout the east coast.

She went on to request that the Sheriff's Office remove all negative social media comments about her and the investigation before stating: "I encourage the Sheriff’s Office to take down those pages that promote negative behavior and violence. Let’s Do what Gannon would do. Be Kind to one another!"

Letecia has been under fire ever since Gannon was first reported missing, with many quick to accuse her of being involved in his disappearance.

Law enforcement officials have repeatedly denied these rumors, and reiterated again on Wednesday that that there are no suspects or persons of interest inthe case om multiple occasions.

At the same, officers areurging the public to disregard any claims or statements about the investigation which do not come directly from the Sheriff's Office.

"The misinformation that is being spread on social media is a hindrance to this investigation and adds additional burden to the family," saidAny information that is prematurely released and is not directly from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office is not a credible source. Any pertinent information on this case will be put out as the investigation allows."

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