Authorities in Coos County, Oregon, are searching for a 5-year-old boy whose mother said he vanished over the weekend while she was taking a nap.
The Coos County Sheriff’s Office said that Joshua James McCoy was reported missing after sundown Saturday from Hauser, an unincorporated community that runs along Route 101 in Oregon.
Deputy Jeff Lee, a spokesman for the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, said in a phone interview Tuesday that Joshua’s mother told deputies dispatched to her home that she and her son had both fallen asleep Saturday afternoon. When she woke up at 5:30 p.m., Joshua was gone, according to statements from the sheriff’s office, which did not identify his mother by name.
Joshua, who goes by Josh or Joshie, is described as 3 feet, 6 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. He has autism and may not respond when called to, the authorities said.
Children on the autism spectrum
tend to wander, or elope,
from home and other safe places at a higher rate than their peers, according to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The child protection organization says that children with autism may be drawn to dangerous environments such as bodies of water, construction sites, highways and train tracks.
Lee said that a pond near Joshua’s residence had been drained as part of the search for him.
The Coos County Sheriff’s Office said in an
update on its Facebook page
Monday evening that teams have been searching for Joshua using drones and K-9 units, among other resources. It also said it has requested additional assistance from state and federal agencies.
“While citizen offer of aid is much appreciated, the search area is limited in capacity, and the concern is that evidence would be missed or tainted with an overwhelming number of personnel on scene,” the sheriff’s office said.
The Coos County Sheriff’s Office added that “nothing is being ruled out at this time as we are considering all possible avenues.”
“We maintain hope that Joshua will be found alive and well,” it said.
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