According to the adoptive parents, on December 21, 2020, Orrin and Orson West disappeared from their adopted parents' backyard. Nine months later, the Bakersfield Police Department and community continue searching for answers.

Every day, in the investigator's office, the first thing you see when you walk into their workspace is a giant poster of the boys," said Public Information Officer Sergeant Robert Pair.

BPD's last detailed update was in June, but we are since learning that the number of people they've interviewed has gone up as the case continues.

BPD says the search is actively ongoing, with joint collaboration between the FBI, Kern County Sheriff's Department, District Attorney's Office and California City Police Department. They've also pooled resources from other agencies, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"No one understands more than we do that it is fundamental, in service to these little boys, that we find out where they are and what happened to them," Sgt. Pair said.

The cousin of Orson's biological father, Rosanna Wills, says the family hopes someone comes forward.

It gives us hope just to know that this case isn't going to go cold and that they're working on it," Wills said.

California City resident Rayshon Miranda has lived in the area since 1995. He says he lives next to the West family and came outside when he saw law enforcement in his neighborhood the night of December 21. When finding out about the missing boys, he started getting other people to come out and look.

"I didn't leave until around 2:30 in the morning, maybe an hour after law enforcement and helicopters had left," Miranda said.

Since December, he's been spreading awareness about the boys. He says when he wears shirts with the boys' pictures, a lot of people stop him to ask about it.

I feel that the boys could still be out there, it's a big possibility. The world needs to know their story, know what the boys look like," he said.

As of BPD's last update, they reported that 83 individuals had been interviewed, 44 search warrants conducted and 16 mass area searches completed. Sgt. Pair also says the biological children of Trazell and Jacqueline West are still in Child Protective Services.

A candlelight gathering was held Tuesday night for the boys. Wills says they will continue holding gatherings until the boys are found.

"Every 21st, we're gonna have a candlelight prayer," Wills said. "We hope we won't have to go longer, but we're gonna have this every 21st to keep their names out there."

If you have information about Orrin and Orson West, call Kern Secret Witness at (661) 322 - 4040.