SAN DIEGO -- San Diego police have upgraded the investigation into the disappearance of 2-year-old Jahi Turner to a case of abduction, the department's Dave Cohen said.

MISSING JAHI TURNER Light-Skinned African-American 30 pounds, 30" tall Black hair Wearing blue long-sleeved "Winnie the Pooh" T-shirt, blue nylon pants with an orange drawstring, and gray tennis shoes INFORMATION Tip Hotline: (619) 531-2000 Volunteers: (619) 744-9521 Download A Missing Flyer SOUND OFF Share Your Thoughts

Jahi (pictured, left) disappeared from a Golden Hill playground area near 28th and Beech streets around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

The missing boy's stepfather, 23-year-old Tieray Jones, told police Thursday that he last saw Jahi before going to get a soda at a nearby vending machine while the boy was playing with two other children in the park and their mother. That vending machine sits about 250 yards from the playground, 10News reported.

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Case Upgraded To Abduction Reaction From Boy's Family Many San Diegans Want To Help

Jones said that when he returned, about 15 minutes later, his stepson and all the others were gone, according to 10News.

Cohen said the children the missing toddler was playing with were described by Jones as age 2 and 4 and their mother was a "white female."

That woman has been described as a Caucasian woman in her late 30s, with blonde hair that was pulled tightly into a ponytail. She is believed to be about 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighs around 138 pounds, police said.

Now that officials believe a criminal act is involved, they are urging anyone with possible information on the boy's whereabouts to call Crime Stoppers' anonymous tip line at (619) 235-8477.

The department also has activated a "Citizen Access Phone System" for information on the case. It can be reached at (619) 570-1070.

Jahi's natural father lives in Maryland and was recently released from "jail or prison," in that state, Cohen said, adding that police have talked with him and "do not believe that he is any way involved in this."

It was not immediately known what crime may have led to the father's incarceration.

The child's mother, Tameka Jones,(pictured, right), 18, is a Navy seaman who left San Diego on Monday for a weeklong cruise on the dock landing ship USS Rushmore, Cohen said.

Jahi was described as a light-skinned African-American, weighing about 30 pounds, 30 inches tall, and having black hair.

When he disappeared, the boy was wearing a blue long-sleeved "Winnie the Pooh" T-shirt, blue nylon pants with an orange drawstring and gray tennis shoes, police said.