There are signs with pictures of him posted on tollbooths at the mouth of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and in languages from Russian to Bengali all over New York City. There have been loudspeaker announcements throughout the subway system, scent-sniffing bloodhounds, volunteer foot patrols and daily scans of rooftops by police helicopters. Several of them have buzzed over Queens most days since Avonte went missing. And every day, dozens of police officers fan out across a wide region, checking buildings, lots and even trash bins.
The Police Department has received more than 450 leads related to Avonte's disappearance, and detectives have investigated and ruled out all but 48, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said at a news conference on Friday. He added that detectives were still in the process of viewing 196 pieces of video.
Avonte, he said, had not appeared on any of the video clips that investigators had watched so far.
On Thursday, in remarks to a television station, Mr. Kelly expressed fears that Avonte was dead. "Unfortunately, we are not hopeful that we're going to find this young man alive, but we are continuing our search," he told WABC-TV.
The comment infuriated members of Avonte's family, who on Friday said they were afraid that the comments might make the public less vigilant.
"There is no evidence that Avonte is not alive," said David H. Perecman, a lawyer for the family.
The family is suing the city on grounds that the Riverview School, which opened this year at 1-50 51st Avenue in Long Island City, did not have safety features like alarmed doors or proper monitoring systems, and suffered a breakdown in the protocol for dealing with Avonte, who was known to run off periodically.
At a news conference beside the family's makeshift search command center, at the foot of 51st Avenue where it dead ends at the East River, Mr. Perecman said the commissioner's words were "reckless."
Asked in an interview on Friday whether he thought Avonte was still alive, Mr. Kelly said, "We certainly hope so."
Nowhere is Avonte's absence felt more acutely than in a tent at the command center , near the school he stepped out of on Oct. 4, where Avonte's mother, Vanessa Fontaine, has spent her days. She was there to shepherd volunteers who have come in droves — and because it is too painful to be home, in the silent shadow of her child's absence.
"It's very quiet," she said. "Nothing to say, no, 'Avonte, what are you doing?' It's not the same. I'd rather be here than be at home."
For weeks police boats have plied the waters and divers have searched the East River, while volunteers from organizations as varied as churches and motorcycle clubs have combed the streets. There are 80 detectives working the case. At times a recording of his mother's voice was blasted from roving search vehicles calling out to Avonte, who because of his condition is nonverbal. He cannot care for himself or even tie his own shoes.
But no Avonte.
"At this juncture we have nothing that we could say is a confirmed sighting of the young man," Mr. Kelly said on Friday.
As autumn weather has descended on the city, the volunteers have begun to fade away, and the police have indicated that the search efforts will be scaled back.
Ms. Fontaine and Avonte's father, Daniel Oquendo, have not given up hope. "He is not gone," Ms. Fontaine said. "I don't know what the commissioner was thinking of. He's alive, he's out there."
After the conference, Ms. Fontaine returned to her vigil. "It's like a nightmare," she said. "You ever had that dream and said, 'I'm so happy I woke up from this and it was a dream?' I wish this was a dream and I could go home and see Avonte in that room in that house.
"Pinch me and wake me up. Please."
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