Maleah’s stepfather, Darion Vence, told police he, Maleah, and his 1-year-old son were in the car on the way to the airport to pick up Maleah’s mother on Friday night.

According to Houston Police Sgt. Mark Holbrook, Vence heard a “popping noise” while driving and pulled over to check his tires.

Vence told detectives when he got out of his car, a blue pickup truck pulled up behind it and two Hispanic males exited their vehicle.

One of the men reportedly said, "Maleah looks very nice, looks very sweet," Holbrook told reporters during a press conference.

One of the men then allegedly hit Vence in the head, knocking him out.

Vence told police that when he woke up, he was in the back of the pickup truck with Maleah and her brother and three Hispanic males were in the front of the truck.

He lost consciousness one more time and this time when he woke up, he was on Highway 6 with his 1-year-old boy, but no Maleah.

While at the hospital, Vence reported Maleah's disappearance to authorities. 

Now officials are desperately searching for the young girl, who they revealed recently endured multiple brain surgeries.

"She's needed a lot of care," Holbrook said. "This week she was sick too."

Houston Police Department requested the help of Texas EquuSearch as well as volunteers to aid in finding Maleah. Search parties on foot and by ATV are scouring northeast Houston near Highway 59.

"I realize there's a lot of blanks in the story,” Holbrook said about Vence’s account before saying he wants the public to help "fill in the blanks."

The car Vence was driving, described as a silver Nissan Altima, is also missing.

Maleah is about 3-feet tall and weighs 30 to 40 pounds. She was last seen wearing a light blue Under Armour jacket, blue jeans and gray Under Armour tennis shoes with pink and white details.

Houston police ask anyone with information about the case to call 713-308-3600.