Press Releases

Contact: Edie Smith, Spokesperson
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

Media representatives can receive press releases via e-mail.

Telephone: work (207) 592-4348

Fax: (207) 287-6395

February 7, 2010

Missing Seven-Year-Old Boy Found Asleep In Woods

Augusta, Maine - A 7-year-old boy who was last seen in bed at his Ludlow home on Saturday night was found asleep in thick growth in woods about three-quarters-of-a-mile (as crow flies) from his home today.

The boy, who was with his Black Lab puppy, was missing for at least six hours, and was located by a volunteer searcher, Paul Hemingway, around 1:30 p.m. today (Sunday, Feb. 7).

The dog was not with the boy, and was still missing late Sunday afternoon.

Mr. Hemingway was searching between a snowmobile trail and a road when he located tracks made by small boots and a dog. Mr. Hemingway called out for the boy, who woke up startled and answered him.

Mr. Hemingway carried the boy to the road and met a couple there who drove the boy to his home.

The boy was transported by Houlton Ambulance to Houlton Regional Hospital, where he was being evaluated for frost bite on his fingers and toes.

The Maine Warden Service received the missing-persons call before noon today.

Wardens Brian Harris, Ben Drew, Kevin Pelkey, Scott Martin, Alan Curtis (with K-9), Sgt. Brian Gray, a Maine State Police trooper, several U.S. Border Patrol agents, and several volunteers searched for the boy.

The incident is under investigation.
This search was one of two searches that were initiated today for missing children.

In Hope, a 7-year-old girl became separated from her mom while snowshoeing. As Warden Michelle Merrifield was en route to the call, she saw the girl pop out of woods near the road she was traveling. The girl was returned home and was not hurt.

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Press Releases