SAN DIEGO -- It was one year ago Friday that little Jahi Turner was reported missing from a San Diego playground, 10News reported.

MISSING JAHI TURNER Tip Hotline: (619) 235-8477 SOUND OFF Share Your Thoughts

Turner, 2 years old when he disappeared from the area of 28th and Cedar Streets while his Navy mother was at sea, has never been found despite searches by police and civilian volunteers.

Turner's stepfather, Tieray Jones, claimed he left the child alone for a short time when he went to a vending machine. When he returned, the boy was gone, according to Jones.

Jones' story has been investigated thoroughly by police, who went through landfills in Miramar and Otay Mesa scrap-by-scrap in a search for evidence, according to 10News.

Months after the disappearance, Jones was jailed in Maryland for unrelated legal troubles.

Jahi's mother, Tameka, who was on a ship when her son disappeared, remained in the Navy. She and Jones Friday visited the playground where Jahi was last seen.

"I'm just ready for him to come back home. It's been a long year and he needs to come back home," Tameka Jones said.

The Jones' spent a short time reminiscing with volunteers who were involved in the search effort, 10News reported.

Shawna Miller volunteered to search for Jahi. She said the Jahi search center became more about a struggle for power than the need to find a little boy.

"I thought the community as a whole lost heart in the whole premise of the search, lost faith in why they were out there to begin with," Miller said.

Police say the case remains open, according to 10News.

"We are continuing to activly work the case as we have been for the last year and we'll continue to work it as leads come in," San Diego Police Lt. Mike Hurley said.

A Web site dedicated to finding Jahi is no longer operating, but a police hotline set up specifically for the case at (619) 235-8477 continues to function.