Detectives are renewing their efforts to find Patrick Alford, a young Brooklyn boy who disappeared more than a decade ago.

He was just 7 years old when he vanished from Spring Creek Towers. On the week of his 19th birthday, the NYPD remains hopeful that he's out there somewhere.

Just days before his birthday, detectives returned to his foster home at Spring Creek Towers, also known as Starrett City.

"Right now, it's still an active investigation. We're still looking for Patrick and we're looking for help from the public," says NYPD missing persons Detective Leiddy Zubber.

On Jan. 22. 2010, police say Alford was last seen leaving 130 Vandalia Ave.

"Patrick was going to go take out the garbage and no one has ever seen him since," Zubber says.

Police say K-9 units traced his scent to the intersection of Pennsylvania and Shroeder avenues, but it ended there.

"We searched every building, every waterway. Aviation was used to do roof searches," Zubber says.

Both his foster mother and biological mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, were questioned, along with countless others over the years.

"There were thousands of interviews done," Zubber says.

Rodriguez declined an on-camera interview this year, but spoke with News 12 back in 2018, saying she'd never give up on finding her son.

"We just got to keep on trying. I'm never gonna give up until the day I die," Rodriguez said.

The NYPD says it won't either.

Each year, detectives return to the scene and talk to residents with the hoping that one piece to the puzzle falls into place.

"Every little detail can possibly help us," Zubber says. "Now that we have more technology, more social media, we want you to share this story."

The search continues as another Thanksgiving -- and another birthday -- go by with Alford still missing.

"He was 7 years old. Everyone that has a child can possibly relate. It's a scary thing," Zubber says.

On top of the $13,000 Crime Stoppers reward, there is also a $250,000 reward for his safe return.