Police searching for missing 11-month-old boy from South L.A.

Authorities are asking for the public’s help finding an 11-month-old boy who went missing last week while in the care of his father’s friend.

Theo Alexander Guarino was last seen around 11:55 p.m. Thursday in the 1500 block of West Vernon Avenue in South Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

“There is an ongoing custody dispute between Theo’s mother and father,� police said.

The father’s friend was not named by police, and Officer Drake Madison, an LAPD spokesman, said Tuesday that the friend was not considered a suspect.

Theo has a light complexion with brown hair and blue eyes, police said. He is 2 feet tall and weighs about 30 pounds.

He has a birthmark on the outside of his left knee, police said.

Anyone with information on Theo’s whereabouts is asked to call 77th Area Juvenile Detectives’ Officer Hadeen at (213) 677-9077, or the 77th Street Division watch commander at (323) 786-5077.

Those providing information after business hours or on weekends should call (877) 527-3247.

Anyone who wants to make an anonymous tip can call Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at (800)-222-8477, visit www.lacrimestoppers.org, or go to www.lapdonline.org and click on “Anonymous Web Tips� under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers� menu to submit a tip.