Lemhi Sheriff Releases Details on Missing Child

The following is a news release from the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office posted Sunday afternoon:

On July 10, 2015 at approximately 1435 (2:35 PM) Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office 911 Dispatch Center received a call from family members that their 2 ½ year old son went missing from their camp and had been missing for an hour.

The child was described as having blond shaggy hair and wearing a camo jacket, wearing blue pajama style pants and cowboy boots. Lemhi County immediately initiated a search to include dispatching a number of resources including but not limited to officers from the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office, Salmon Police Department and other law enforcement agencies in the area, Salmon Search and Rescue, Leadore EMT’s, and others. After a comprehensive search of the immediate area surrounding the campground, other resources were dispatched to include divers from the Salmon Search and Rescue and Lemhi CSO, search dogs from LCSO and Salmon PD, horseback resources from the Salmon and Leadore area and others. Other resources on scene include a helicopter, searchers on horseback, atvs, and many people on foot.

At one point there were over 150 persons assigned and accounted for on the search.

As of 9 AM Sunday morning, a comprehensive search of a radius of 2 ½ miles from the campground has been completed by Search and Rescue staff.

There have consistently been search staff members on the ground since the initial call was received day and night. One huge issue has been folks showing up on their own and entering the search area without our incident commander’s knowledge. The Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office is discouraging concerned folks from entering the search area without being requested as we cannot keep track of who is in the area. We have been listing volunteers that have called into the Sheriff’s Office in the case that our incident commander requests outside assistance; however the sheriff’s office will likely use the media to request outside or public assistance if and when the time comes, at least in the area of the search.

The reason for this is the area is very steep and mountainous, and the need to keep track of ground resources is paramount in case someone is hurt or otherwise needs assistance during the search.

Again, the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office will contact the media to request any public resources for the search and will provide contact information when and if the time comes to request outside resources.

The outpouring of concern and volunteers from Idaho and surrounding states has been phenomenal and we thank all of those that have contacted us to offer help. Our thanks and apologies to those involved but not listed in this update.

RELATED: Original story on missing child