Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Timmothy Pitzen's grandmother has spoken out with her theory on what could've happened to him after he went missing in 2011.
It's just surpassed 13 years since Timmothy - aged six at the time - from Aurora, Illinois was last seen and his grandmother Linda has revealed why she believes he's still alive.
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On May 11 2011, Timmothy was picked up from school by his mom Amy Fry-Pitzen who took him for a three-day trip to various amusement parks, including Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, the Key Lime Cove Resort in Gurnee, and the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin.
However, on May 14, his mom was found dead in a motel room, her death ruled a suicide and Amy having left a note behind which allegedly said Timmothy was being taken care of but would never be seen again.
Since then Timmothy has indeed yet to ever be seen again, the rest of his family not knowing if he was left in someone's care or what else could've happened to him.
However, over 10 years on and his grandmother has spoken out with her theory on what could've happened.
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Linda - Timmothy's paternal grandmother - told The US Sun she believes there's no option where Amy did anything to her son and it's a sentiment which has been strongly echoed by other members of the family too.
Timmothy's dad Jim Pitzen told NBC Chicago in his 'whole mind' he 'know[s]' his son is 'here somewhere'.
"She would never do anything to hurt him. No, never," he added.
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Instead, Linda thinks the mom must've placed Timmothy in the care of other people.
Why? Well, Linda claims Amy 'wanted Timm to be raised Mormon' and because the rest of the family didn't share her beliefs, she theorizes this was Amy's 'way of making sure he was [Mormon] after she'd gone'.
The grandmother continues: "She never pushed it on anyone apart from Jim. But he was reluctant and I think her church may have been pushing her a little, I don't know.
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"But she went to a Mormon church. She wasn't raised that way, she was a convert - and that was before Jim had met her."
And Linda claims the rest of Timmothy's family are holding onto hope this is the case too.
UNILAD has contacted Aurora Police Department for comment.
Poppy Bilderbeck