By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:37 EST, 14 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:37 EST, 14 January 2014 . The family of a missing autistic boy are pleading with the FBI to take on the case as the desperate search for the teenager continues. Avonte Oquendo disappeared from Riverview School in Long Island City, New York at lunchtime on October 4 after running out of a security door that had been left open. The 14-year-old is particularly vulnerable because his type of autism leaves him unable to speak and in need of 24-hour care. For months, the boy's family has organized search parties to scour the city for him, placed missing posters on the subway and in stores and raised a $95,000 reward. There have been a few sightings of teenage boys who closely resemble Avonte, raising the family's hopes - but he remains missing. Avonte Oquendo, 14, who is autistic and cannot speak, is still missing almost four months after he ran out of his school in Long Island City, New York . A new poster for the missing teenager was put out earlier this month as his family and friends keep up the pressure to find him . The Oquendo family are keeping up the pressure in the search. On January 5, the family posted a message on the Facebook page that they have set up to help find the boy pleading for FBI involvement. The message thanked volunteers for their continued help in looking for the missing teen over the winter holidays. The message continued: 'We would like to clarify that we have sought the help of the FBI and had petitioned them to take the lead in the investigation regarding Avonte. 'There are several legal reasons they gave us for not being legally permitted to take over the investigation. The most noted is that the NYPD has listed Avonte as a missing person, not a victim of kidnapping or other such federal offense(s) that would require the FBI's involvement. 'It is our deepest desire for the FBI to get involved but there is a system in place that requires protocol, we cannot force the FBI to get involved and we continually ask and pray they do.' The Oquendo family were devastated by remarks made by former NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly in October where he said it was unlikely that the teenager would be found alive. Kelly has since apologized for his remarks. Runaway: CCTV footage shows Avonte Oquendo running through the corridors of his school towards the exit on October 4 . Avonte’s brother Danny Oquendo Jr has relocated from Florida to New York to drive the efforts to find his brother. Thousands of followers have been added to Danny’s social media accounts . and a Facebook page called Missing Avonte Oquendo has become a virtual . hub for the search. Facebook . followers have helped get the missing boy's flier widely dispersed and . have even had it translated into Chinese and Portuguese. Escape: Once he got outside, Avonte Oquendo ran down the street out of sight and hasn't been seen since . A Department of Education investigation has also taken place into how the autistic boy managed to get out of his special needs school and how teaching staff handled his disappearance. Avonte's . mother Vanessa, along with police, were not informed of his disappearance until . at least an hour after he ran from the school building. The . school failed to go into lockdown mode while none of the administrators . had passwords to access the surveillance cameras at the school on the . day of Avonte's disappearance, according to Capital New York. Without . access to the security footage, school officials originally believed . Avonte 'ran back up another staircase' and remained in the building. Vanessa Fontaine, left, Avonte's mother, arrives at a vigil for her son on October 11 in Queens. The missing boy's family continue to keep up the search for him .
Avonte Oquendo, 14, disappeared from his NYC school on October 4 .
Teenager is unable to speak because of his autism and needs 24-hour care .
FBI cannot become involved because the teen is listed as a missing person by NYPD and the case therefore does not require federal involvement .
Avonte Oquendo was last seen wearing black .
jeans, black sneakers and a grey striped shirt. He is 5-foot-3 and .
weighs 125 pounds. Anyone with information is urged to call the NYPD .
Crime Stoppers line at 800-577-TIPS .
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:37 EST, 14 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:37 EST, 14 January 2014 . The family of a missing autistic boy are pleading with the FBI to take on the case as the desperate search for the teenager continues. Avonte Oquendo disappeared from Riverview School in Long Island City, New York at lunchtime on October 4 after running out of a security door that had been left open. The 14-year-old is particularly vulnerable because his type of autism leaves him unable to speak and in need of 24-hour care. For months, the boy's family has organized search parties to scour the city for him, placed missing posters on the subway and in stores and raised a $95,000 reward. There have been a few sightings of teenage boys who closely resemble Avonte, raising the family's hopes - but he remains missing. Avonte Oquendo, 14, who is autistic and cannot speak, is still missing almost four months after he ran out of his school in Long Island City, New York . A new poster for the missing teenager was put out earlier this month as his family and friends keep up the pressure to find him . The Oquendo family are keeping up the pressure in the search. On January 5, the family posted a message on the Facebook page that they have set up to help find the boy pleading for FBI involvement. The message thanked volunteers for their continued help in looking for the missing teen over the winter holidays. The message continued: 'We would like to clarify that we have sought the help of the FBI and had petitioned them to take the lead in the investigation regarding Avonte. 'There are several legal reasons they gave us for not being legally permitted to take over the investigation. The most noted is that the NYPD has listed Avonte as a missing person, not a victim of kidnapping or other such federal offense(s) that would require the FBI's involvement. 'It is our deepest desire for the FBI to get involved but there is a system in place that requires protocol, we cannot force the FBI to get involved and we continually ask and pray they do.' The Oquendo family were devastated by remarks made by former NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly in October where he said it was unlikely that the teenager would be found alive. Kelly has since apologized for his remarks. Runaway: CCTV footage shows Avonte Oquendo running through the corridors of his school towards the exit on October 4 . Avonte’s brother Danny Oquendo Jr has relocated from Florida to New York to drive the efforts to find his brother. Thousands of followers have been added to Danny’s social media accounts . and a Facebook page called Missing Avonte Oquendo has become a virtual . hub for the search. Facebook . followers have helped get the missing boy's flier widely dispersed and . have even had it translated into Chinese and Portuguese. Escape: Once he got outside, Avonte Oquendo ran down the street out of sight and hasn't been seen since . A Department of Education investigation has also taken place into how the autistic boy managed to get out of his special needs school and how teaching staff handled his disappearance. Avonte's . mother Vanessa, along with police, were not informed of his disappearance until . at least an hour after he ran from the school building. The . school failed to go into lockdown mode while none of the administrators . had passwords to access the surveillance cameras at the school on the . day of Avonte's disappearance, according to Capital New York. Without . access to the security footage, school officials originally believed . Avonte 'ran back up another staircase' and remained in the building. Vanessa Fontaine, left, Avonte's mother, arrives at a vigil for her son on October 11 in Queens. The missing boy's family continue to keep up the search for him .
boy are pleading with the FBI to take on the case continues. Avonte Oquendo disappeared from his type of autism leaves him unable to speak and in need of 24-hour care. For months, the boy's 14, who is autistic and cannot speak, is still The most noted is that the NYPD has listed Avonte as a missing person, not a victim of kidnapping require the FBI's involvement. 'It is our deepest school towards the exit on October 4 . Avonte’s were not informed of his disappearance until . at the school on the . day of Avonte's