A
huge team effort by multiple agencies and community volunteers locates a
missing 5 year old Sumner child unharmed.
The
Levy County Sheriff's Office responded today at approximately 1116 hours to the
Sumner area of Levy
County . A frantic mother
could not locate her five year old little boy. The mother and family had been searching for
almost an hour before calling for Law Enforcement assistance. He was last seen
in the front yard of the home by the grandmother. He was playing with the
family dog.
The
Levy County Sheriff’s Office, Levy County Department of Public Safety, Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Highway Patrol, Marion County
Sheriff’s Office Air Unit and the Florida Department of Corrections K-9 teams
searched the area of Shiloh
Cemetery for the missing
5 year old boy for over 3 hours before he was located. The young boy was last
seen wearing blue jeans, no shirt and no shoes. He was ultimately located in a
large marshy pond by community volunteers approximately 3 miles away from his
home.
Resident
John Hanley located a small barefoot print in a muddy area near a road at the
edge of the swampy pond. Law enforcement resources were being moved into the
area when a second resident volunteer, Evan Phillips, located the young child.
Phillips heard his yells for help and entered the swamp to rescue him. The
child was found in the middle of a thick stand of cattails in the center of the
shallow pond unharmed. He was treated for small scratches and reunited with his
mother.
LCSO
greatly appreciates the assistance received from the citizens and other
agencies on this case.
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