Robert Bonsai Bee, Jr., 13, of Pekin

“I love you, Little Brat.” That’s how Stephanie Clauser signs off on many of her social media posts now. Clauser, 42, is the half-sister of Robert Bonsai Bee, Jr., the 13-year-old Pekin youth who’s been missing since mid-November.

“That’s what I call Bonsai, ‘Little Brat’. He grew up over here. I would just go pick him up and have him for weeks at a time,” she said. “It feels like a piece of me has been ripped out.”

Bee came up missing Nov. 17 after a truancy officer ticketed the boy’s mother, Lisa Bee, at her home on Sapp St. The District 108 officer saw Bee flee on his bicycle that day. Bee was reported as missing by his mother the next day, after the officer arrived to ticket her again for her son’s absence that day from school.

Pekin Police Chief John Dossey said Bee spent the night at friend’s home before being reported missing the next day. The 4’6″, 110 lb. boy was last seen wearing a red and gray shirt, blue jeans and red Nike shoes. He was not carrying a cell phome, and had no money.

“We’ve done all of the things we’re required to do through policy. Several agencies from all levels have some involvement,” Dossey said.  “We’re tapping into all resources and continue to seek info and put info out from anyone who hears or sees anything.”

An Amber Alert may not be issued without evidence of an abduction, but Bee is considered a runaway and is listed asa Missing and Endangered Child. Clausen said Bee has runaway from his Pekin home before, but always to a friend’s house.

“We know that somebody knows something and we need them to tell us, so that we can bring this to a close,” Dosseysaid. “So far, we have no new developments, but we continue to follow the leads as they come in.”

Unfortunately, many leads have been rumor-based and one was blatantly false. A Manito woman faces misdemeanor charges for obstructing justice by providing a “deliberately false lead”.

On Dec. 27, Jennifer Gordon, 36, told Pekin and Illinois State Police detectives that she had witnessed Bee entering a house, later admitting she was attempting to prompt the search of a suspicious area.

“We need legitimate leads,” Dossey said. “The woman who provided false information; we don’t need that.”

Meanwhile, Clauser and her children wait for news of the boy they call “Bonsai”, who has been missing from their Thanksgiving table, their Christmas morning, their New Year’s celebration. Bee called Clauser’s 14-year-old daughter Kiara “Sissy”, and he had his own bedroom at their Morton home.

“He was always happy here, always joking and playing and swimming. He swims like a fish,” Clauser said. “Bonsai would say ‘I love you’ every night, and I’d always say, ‘I love you, Little Brat.'”

Clauser said their father, Robert Bee, lives in a Morton senior care facility. His health is failing, she said, and the case of his missing son is taking a further toll on him physically and mentally.

“We worry about if he’s alive or not. He didn’t have the medication he needs for seizures and ADHD,” Clauser said. “We won’t give up looking for him. If someone calls, we get up and run.”

On Jan. 3, Clausen showed up in the Tazewell County Courthouse, where Lisa Bee was scheduled for a truancy hearing regarding the November truancy tickets. Bee failed to appear in court that day and was likely found guilty and fined in her absence.

CrimeStoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to Bee’s whereabouts, and will continue to accept anonymous tips. Anyone with information about Robert Bee is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 673-9000 or thePekin Police Department at 346-3132.

— Police, sister keep up search for missing Pekin boy    —