Deschutes SO K-9 finds missing toddler S. of Bend
A 3-year-old boy who wandered off as his family cut firewood in the woods south of Bend was the subject of a major search effort as darkness and temperatures fell Wednesday evening. It ended happily when a Deschutes County sheriff’s K-9 team found the shoeless toddler about two miles away, deputies said.
Dispatchers got a call just before 4:30 p.m. from Ryan Duffey, 33, of Bend, advising he was woodcutting in an area 11 miles out China Hat Road with his family when his son disappeared in the area of Forest Service Road 1816 and the 900 Spur Road, said sheriff’s Lt. Mike Biondi.
A dozen deputies, including two K-9 units, responded to help search for the boy, joined by 20 sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers, U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement officers and Oregon State Police troopers.
With nightfall approaching and temperatures near freezing, two deputies and K-9 “Ezel” were deployed to search the area, Biondi said. They were directed to an area about 200 yards northwest of the woodcutting site – and found the boy’s shoes.
Handlers began to track the toddler to the northeast from that location, finding intermittent footprints they believed were the boy’s, Biondi said. They kept heading that direction and found the boy shortly before 6 p.m.
SAR medical personnel responded and evaluated the boy, finding he was cold but otherwise in good health. They wrapped him in heating blankets and he was transported back to Forest Service 1820, to be reunited with his parents.
