A five-year-old reported missing Saturday night was found safe and sound after spending about seven hours in a wooded area near his home on Chalk Ridge.
Lewis County 911 Dispatchers were notified by Dalton Brown that his son, Dwayne, was last seen near their home about 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Judge Executive George Sparks said first-responders from across Lewis County were quickly notified and responded to the area where an organized search was conducted.
Sparks said additional resources were requested from Buffalo Trace Search and Rescue, Little Sandy Correctional Complex Search Team, and first-responders in surrounding counties who sent additional volunteers, canines, and equipment to conduct the nighttime search of the area for the youngster.
Family members, search teams, first-responders, and community members were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief at 3:46 a.m. Sunday when Tollesboro Fire Chief Lee Thomas notified dispatch by radio that the youngster had been located by a bloodhound with the Little Sandy Correction Complex Search Team and was being brought out of the woods.
The youngster reportedly said he had followed a bunny into the woods and became lost.
He was taken to the hospital for evaluation after rescuers brought him back to his home. Sparks said he appeared to have only a few scratches and cuts on is legs as a result of the ordeal.
Tollesboro Fire Chief Lee Thomas said he would like to thank everyone who came out to help in the search.
“Thank you to Mason, Boyd, Carter, and Montgomery counties for bringing out your drones,” Thomas said early Sunday.
“Thank you to the surrounding fire departments, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, as well as all the search and rescue teams,” He added. “And a big thank you to the folks from the Little Sandy Correctional Complex and their bloodhound, Ranger.”
“We are thankful for our first-responders and community members, and especially for those volunteers and search teams from other ares who joined with our local personnel in a successful unified search for this young man,” Sparks said.
He said some 125 volunteers had signed-in for the search and 20-or-so more who didn’t sign-in.
“Dr. Greg Taylor (with Buffalo Trace Search and Rescue) was an excellent resource for us,” Sparks said. “He came out and then went back home to print search maps and returned. It was very rough terrain where the search was being conducted.”
“We are blessed to have so many skilled and caring people who are willing to come together in these situations. And there is no doubt that prayers have been answered,” Sparks added. “It was a very stressful night but with an amazing turnout.”
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