UPDATE: Verona Police Find Missing 8-Year-Old

After hours of searching, Verona police have found a missing 8-year-old.

Verona police Chief Ron McLemore said AJ Stotts of Second Avenue in Verona spent the night at a friend's house on North Avenue—less than a half-mile from his own home.

A police officer knocked on the door of the North Avenue residence on Tuesday morning in search of Stotts and found him with his friend. The friend's family was not aware Stotts had been reported missing, McLemore said.

Stotts is safe at home.

"Everyone is happy he's home," McLemore said. "He's in good shape, and he's eating pancakes for breakfast."

Stotts went missing from his residence on Monday night. Police had been called when his mother woke up to find he and his bike were gone around midnight.