[EXCLUSIVE UPDATE] Occupy Wall Street: the Land of Missing Children

Update: See the end of story for update.

The usual crowd of protesters and demonstrators were all on hand at Occupy Wall Street, as they waved signs and shouted slogans.

Tourists stopped by to take pictures and inquire about the movement as police officers shuffled people along. However, in the midst of Zuccotti Park, one family searches for their son, cousin and uncle, who has been missing since Tuesday.

Aaron Schmidt, an 18-year-old political science major from Wisconsin, left his University of South Dakota dorm for New York without informing his parents or friends.

We don't care that he is here, but we need to know that he is here. We need to know where is, said Al Boelter, Aaron's uncle. He and other members of his family took a flight out to New York.

Boelter walked up to a beat officer and asked if he'd seen Aaron; he hadn't and was unaware he was missing. The officer offered some encouraging advice, got on the radio and told Boelter to look in the park.

Boelter, and elderly gentleman with graying hair, glasses and goatee, had hoped his first trip to New York city would have been under better circumstances.

It's a big town for a kid, said Boelter, who walked along Trinity Street, stopping to ask Occupiers if they had seen Aaron. He showed them pictures of Aaron. One Occupier suggested he check the information and press booth.

He came down here for this, for the Occupy Wall Street deal. This is our first initial looking for him, right now. We just got into town last night, said Boelter. We are not looking to pull him out of here and make him go home, we are looking to give him some money and make sure that he is safe.

Boelter said that Aaron's phone is either turned off or the battery has died. He hasn't used Facebook or any other social media outlet to get word out the family is looking for Aaron. They reported him missing person in South Dakota. They had checked his financial statements on a credit card and discovered he had bought a one-way Gray Hound bus ticket from Omaha to New York.

As Boelter made his way to the information booth, he passed along a picture of Aaron, pleading with the man at the table to help him.

If I run into him, I will grab him, said the man. The man told Boelter that Aaron can receive free telephone and Internet service from the Occupiers if he shows up.

Boelter ran into Aaron's father, John, while speaking with the information booth, in the middle of Zuccotti Park. John had been searching for Aaron at a different section of the park.

He really wanted to support the movement, said John Schmidt, Aaron's father. He is a very strong liberal.

Schmidt said he can't be certain his son at the protest. However, he knew he was an active member of the Omaha movement and the South Dakota movement.

This is the first time he is here, said Schmidt.

Aaron's cousin missed work to help search for Aaron. I am proud of him for coming, I just wish he would have done it a different way. I have no problem with him doing this, she said.

Although the family expressed anger Aaron hadn't informed anyone of where he was going, they said they just want to make sure he's safe and calls home.

It's okay that he is here, said Schmidt. Just call us, contact us, call somebody.

Update: At approximately 2:50 p.m., Aaron's cousin texted International Business Times.

We found Aaron!! said Aaron's cousin Amy. He went straight for my hotel shower. He is totally fine which is a relief.