SAN DIEGO -- Nearly three weeks after her son vanished from a San Diego park, the mother of 2-year-old Jahi Turner asked for continued help from volunteers and pleaded for the community to remain hopeful.

MISSING JAHI TURNER Light-skinned African-American 30 pounds, 30 inches tall Black hair Wearing blue "Winnie the Pooh" T-shirt, blue pants, and gray tennis shoes INFORMATION SDPD Juvenile Hotline: (619) 744-9521 Tip Hotline: (619) 235-8477 Volunteers: (619) 266-3677 or (800) 608-9625 Download A Missing Flyer SOUND OFF Share Your Thoughts

"As Jahi's mother, I'm pleading with the public to please not give up hope on Jahi. Please don't forget about him. He's so young and helpless and he belongs with his family," Tameka Jones told reporters gathered at Balboa Park.

Video

Jahi's Mother Reads Statement Asking Public To Help Find Son

The toddler vanished from a playground at the park April 25 when his stepfather, Teiray Jones, said he left the boy alone for 15 minutes to walk to a soda vending machine.

Police said that they have found no trace of Jahi despite an extensive investigation that included a painstaking search through 5,000 tons of trash at the Miramar landfill.

Four days before he vanished, Jahi had moved to San Diego to be with his mother after being cared for by his maternal grandmother in Maryland. The day after his arrival, Tameka Jones, an 18-year-old Navy sailor, left on a weeklong training exercise aboard the USS Rushmore. She has been on emergency leave since Jahi's disappearance to assist in the search.

The family continues to lead a crew of volunteers combing through San Diego's neighborhoods and undeveloped canyons, and distributing fliers throughout the area, even in Tijuana, Mexico.

Standing beside her husband, Jones urged anyone with spare time to help in the search.

"I want desperately to have him home and back safe with us," she said, her voice breaking. The search will continue, she said, "until we find Jahi."

The couple then walked away from reporters without answering questions.

The boy's disappearance comes after thousands of San Diegans spent nearly a month searching for Danielle van Dam, a 7-year-old girl who vanished after her father put her to bed in their suburban home on Feb. 1.

The girl's body was discovered on Feb. 27 along a rural road.

David Westerfield, a free-lance design engineer who lived two doors away from the van Dams, has been charged with the kidnapping and murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Police urged anyone with information concerning Jahi's whereabouts to call the SDPD's Central Division "juvenile hotline" at (619) 744-9521, or San Diego County Crime Stoppers' anonymous tip service at (619) 235-8477.

If you would like to volunteer to help search for Jahi, call the Jahi Recovery Centre at (619) 266-3677 or the Mission Valley Ramada Plaza at (800) 608-9625.