A 4-year-old boy who had gone missing at a lake in Fresno County, California, has been located safe and sound after spending nearly 24 hours alone in the nearby woods, per CNN. The Tulare County Search and Rescue Team found young Christian Ramirez around 8 a.m. on Friday, just a quarter mile away from the spot where he was last seen. Rescuers discovered him sheltered beneath a tree, bringing an end to the anxious search.
“We’re fortunate this morning that as these searchers were calling out for the boy, he called back,”
Fresno County Sheriff’s Lt. Brandon Pursell told KFSN. Christian was fatigued and hungry but in good condition, the sheriff’s office said. He is now back with his parents.
The child was found in a wooded area, Pursell told KABC, and
“it was pretty clear that he had been lost and he had kind of hunkered down for the entire night.”
The boy who is reportedly three-foot-tall and 40 pounds was just wearing a t-shirt and shorts, according to KFSN.
“Huntington is known to have bears. There’s possibilities of big cats up there also. We also have snakes. There’s lots of little dangers up there. Slip-and-fall hazards and waterways,”
Pursell said.
The family reported that their son had gone missing from their campsite at the Rancheria Campground in Huntington Lake around 11 a.m. on Thursday.
“In a matter of less than five minutes, he just disappeared,”
Pursell said.
Immediately after receiving the report, a dedicated team of dogs, helicopters, and almost 70 rescuers tirelessly scoured the area in search of Christian, as reported by KFSN.
“This was an amazing show of teamwork and dedication. There were more than 50 deputies and volunteers who combined to participate in this search,”
the sheriff’s office said.
“This included members of other law enforcement agencies who assisted us, working non-stop throughout the night.”
#Clique, what are your thoughts?