A devastated Jennifer Hudson yesterday pleaded for help in finding her 7-year-old nephew, who disappeared after the brutal murders of the singer’s mom and brother Friday.
“Thank you for all your prayers and your calls. Please keep praying for our family and that we get Julian King back home safely,” Hudson, 27, wrote on her MySpace Web page.
“If anyone has any information about his whereabouts, please contact the authorities immediately. Here is a picture of Julian and what he was last seen wearing. Once again, thank you all for being there for us through this tough time. Sincerely, The Hudson Family.”
She offered a $100,000 reward for the boy’s safe return.
The Oscar-winning “Dreamgirls” actress’ plea came as Chicago police combed streets around the South Side house where Julian lived with Hudson’s mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and the singer’s brother, Jason Hudson, who were shot dead at the home Friday.
Sources said cops, who were being assisted by the FBI, were focusing on the “immediate vicinity” in their hunt for the boy, son of Hudson’s sister, Julia.
“We’re doing grid scans, we have helicopters in the air and systematic searches in various locations, in addition to community alerts,” said Officer John Mirabelli, a police spokesman.
Asked whether cops believe Julian is alive, he said: “We are hoping for the best and doing everything we can for this young boy. We can’t make any presumptions.”
A group of youths who know Julian also searched for him in the gritty neighborhood’s abandoned buildings and vacant lots.
“I’m out here to help because he’s a good friend,” said 11-year-old Julius Lee.
Also yesterday, police transferred custody of Julian’s stepfather, William Balfour, to the Illinois Department of Corrections, which now is holding him on a parole violation.
Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, was arrested Friday as a person of interest in the murders by Chicago police. Without yesterday’s transfer to Corrections, cops would have had to either charge Balfour or release him.
He had previously done a prison stint for attempted murder and carjacking.
Jennifer Hudson’s cousin, the Rev. Krista Alston, said: “It’s a difficult time for the family. I’m still in shock. It doesn’t seem real. It’s like a tsunami. You’re just devastated.”