A desperate search is underway for an autistic Oregon boy whose mother said he vanished over the weekend while she was taking a nap.
The Coos County Sheriff’s Office said Joshua James McCoy, 5, was reported missing Saturday evening in Hauser, an unincorporated community about 100 miles southeast of Eugene near the Pacific Coast.
The boy’s mother, who was not identified, told deputies the two of them fell asleep around 1 p.m. Saturday but he was gone when she woke up at 5:30 p.m.
Joshua is described as 3-foot-6, weighing between 50 and 60 pounds with a skinny build, shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes. He goes by Josh or Joshie but may not respond when called by his name because of his autism.
A pond near Joshua’s home had been drained as part of the search, the sheriff’s office told NBC News on Tuesday. Ground personnel, drones, K9 units and aerial support had also been deployed from across seven counties in Oregon and California, as well as state and federal agencies.
In an update on Facebook, law enforcement said that while some clues had been found, “nothing definitive” was located. They also asked for the public to stay away as they continued their search.
“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.
“Nothing is being ruled out at this time as we are considering all possible avenues,” they added. “We maintain hope that Joshua will be found alive and well.”
