Fragments of information flew rapidly this week, sometimes in conflicting ways, once family members and friends of Christopher Marks' tried to think of every way possible to locate him after the 12-year-old went missing Sunday evening at a conservation area located near Eureka and Pacific. But so far, no official police reports have been released regarding the potential alcohol-related piece of the Christopher Marks' puzzle.

Police did confirm on Tuesday they were aware of alleged underage drinking among the teens present with Marks' stepfather, Todd Combs, on Sunday at the Meramec River bank.

Mentions by Marks' 15-year-old sister, Katie, about Christopher "sipping beer" Sunday night turned into more serious considerations as the days passed, and it was revealed the group may have had more to drink than beer, and may have been more than a little tipsy.

A KMOV-TV Channel 4 news crew reported they were told by employees of the Shell gas station at the Allenton/Six Flags St. Louis intersection that four detectives obtained a video recorded Sunday evening that shows a family member of Marks buying beer there.

Patch also was told Monday by police that surveillance tapes from the same gas station were secured, but attempts with officers to pinpoint the timing of the station purchase were not able to be answered.

Katie Marks was filmed saying to KMOV broadcaster Emily Rau that one drink of beer was not going to get someone drunk, and that Christopher only said he "felt sort of hyper and wanted to go jump off the swing."

The body of Christopher Marks eventually was found between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Tuesday night at the Allenton boat ramp access, about six miles east of where Christopher was last seen, according to St. Louis County Police Officer Justin Sparks. This location of the body surprised the professional searchers and law enforcers working on the case.

While all parties involved waiting for toxicology reports to come back from an autopsy of Christopher's body, many St. Louis area residents have raised questions about potential charges against Combs for known and verified underage drinking.

Missouri's alcohol laws are among the most permissive in the United States, often being compared to Nevada's and Louisiana's laws. However, a Minor in Possession—or MIP—(also referred to as a PAULA, Possession of Alcohol Under the Legal Age) is a criminal offense, typically a misdemeanor, for anyone younger than 21 years. Anyone who is under the age of 21 and possesses alcohol in the United States, with the exception of special circumstances, is violating the law.