By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 10:53 EST, 11 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:26 EST, 11 January 2013 . The search for the baby boy missing for the last 18 months has now turned into a child neglect and possibly murder case after remains were found buried at an address provided by the child's parents. Dontrell Melvin, from Miami, was only five months old when he was last . seen with his father Calvin Melvin Jr in July . 2011. He and Brittany Sierra, 21, were arrested today on charges of child neglect and are said to be blaming each other for Dontrell's disappearance. Hallandale Beach Chief of Police Dwayne Fluornoy said at a news conference today: 'They both have intimated that the child has been harmed in some way by . each other. In essence, they're blaming each other.' Missing: Dontrell Melvin, from Miami, was last seen when his father Calvin Melvin Jr took him out of the house in July 2011 when he was five months old and returned without him . Mother: Brittany Sierra, 21, is accusing the father Calvin Melvin jr of harming the child after she was arrested today . Hallandale Beach Police Department Chief Dwayne Fluornoy said: 'They both have intimated that the child has been harmed in some way by each other. In essence, they're blaming each other' Police and cadaver dogs have been at . the Hallandale Beach address where the couple used to live most of the . day to confirm the remains belong to Dontrell - who should be . two-years-old now. Extra charges are expected to be added once the remains are identified. 'There’s evidence and statements that have led us to check this property,' said Police Chief Dwayne Flourney. 'We believe that evidence that is linked to Dontrell’s disappearance is on the property.' Dontrell's father Calvin Melvin Jr has also been arrested and was the last person to see the child . The child's disappearance came to . light after a routine welfare check at the home on Wednesday discovered . there were only two children there when there should have been three. Melvin told police he took Dontelle to . his parents in Pompano so he could have a better life with them. When . police went there, the child's grandparents said they hadn't seen the . boy in more than a year. The mother claims she did not question this account until October last year and reported the matter to Child Protection. The Florida Department of Children and Families conducted an investigation but the findings were unknown, Flournoy said. Child protection administrators too failed to notice Dontrell was gone, even though they received a call to their abuse hotline last year reporting concerns about Dontrell's welfare. But the call was deemed unworthy of investigation, according to the Miami Herald. Fluornoy said: 'The mother previously gave an indication that she hasn't seen her child since July 2011, and she has questioned the father on numerous occasions as to the whereabouts of the child.' Melvin initially fled after police went to his parent's home but he was found a few hours later and changed his story to say that he dropped his son off at a Miami Gardens fire station utilizing the safe haven law. There is no record of this. After Dontrell disappeared, his parents went on to have another child. The mother has a third child with a different father. Police are appealing to the public for help in finding Dontrell, who would now be two-years-old.
Dontrell Melvin was five months old when he was last seen .
Mother and father arrested today on child neglect charges .
Could be updated to murder charge if remains belong to Dontrell .
By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 10:53 EST, 11 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:26 EST, 11 January 2013 . The search for the baby boy missing for the last 18 months has now turned into a child neglect and possibly murder case after remains were found buried at an address provided by the child's parents. Dontrell Melvin, from Miami, was only five months old when he was last . seen with his father Calvin Melvin Jr in July . 2011. He and Brittany Sierra, 21, were arrested today on charges of child neglect and are said to be blaming each other for Dontrell's disappearance. Hallandale Beach Chief of Police Dwayne Fluornoy said at a news conference today: 'They both have intimated that the child has been harmed in some way by . each other. In essence, they're blaming each other.' Missing: Dontrell Melvin, from Miami, was last seen when his father Calvin Melvin Jr took him out of the house in July 2011 when he was five months old and returned without him . Mother: Brittany Sierra, 21, is accusing the father Calvin Melvin jr of harming the child after she was arrested today . Hallandale Beach Police Department Chief Dwayne Fluornoy said: 'They both have intimated that the child has been harmed in some way by each other. In essence, they're blaming each other' Police and cadaver dogs have been at . the Hallandale Beach address where the couple used to live most of the . day to confirm the remains belong to Dontrell - who should be . two-years-old now. Extra charges are expected to be added once the remains are identified. 'There’s evidence and statements that have led us to check this property,' said Police Chief Dwayne Flourney. 'We believe that evidence that is linked to Dontrell’s disappearance is on the property.' Dontrell's father Calvin Melvin Jr has also been arrested and was the last person to see the child . The child's disappearance came to . light after a routine welfare check at the home on Wednesday discovered . there were only two children there when there should have been three. Melvin told police he took Dontelle to . his parents in Pompano so he could have a better life with them. When . police went there, the child's grandparents said they hadn't seen the . boy in more than a year. The mother claims she did not question this account until October last year and reported the matter to Child Protection. The Florida Department of Children and Families conducted an investigation but the findings were unknown, Flournoy said. Child protection administrators too failed to notice Dontrell was gone, even though they received a call to their abuse hotline last year reporting concerns about Dontrell's welfare. But the call was deemed unworthy of investigation, according to the Miami Herald. Fluornoy said: 'The mother previously gave an indication that she hasn't seen her child since July 2011, and she has questioned the father on numerous occasions as to the whereabouts of the child.' Melvin initially fled after police went to his parent's home but he was found a few hours later and changed his story to say that he dropped his son off at a Miami Gardens fire station utilizing the safe haven law. There is no record of this. After Dontrell disappeared, his parents went on to have another child. The mother has a third child with a different father. Police are appealing to the public for help in finding Dontrell, who would now be two-years-old.
from Miami, was only five months old when he was arrested today on charges of child neglect and Melvin, from Miami, was last seen when his father of the . day to confirm the remains belong to