People Magazine featuring in-depth story on DeOrr Kunz

Published at 8:50 am, June 29, 2016 | Updated at 2:33 pm, July 11, 2016

Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS — The latest issue of People magazine features an in-depth story on missing Idaho Falls toddler DeOrr Kunz, Jr.

A photo of the then-2-year-old boy appears on the cover of the July 11 issue under the headline ‘Without a Trace.’

DeOrr’s parents, DeOrr Kunz Sr. and Jessica Mitchell spoke with People reporter Elaine Aradillas about the camping trip where they say their son vanished one year ago.

“I walked up the embankment and when I looked over, he wasn’t in his chair and he wasn’t with (Walton, Jessica’s grandfather),” Kunz told the magazine.

Mitchell ran up the embankment and started screaming as the realization that her boy was missing began to hit her.

“I left everything where it was,” Mitchell said. “I just ran across the rocks, went up the embankment and went, ‘What do you mean he’s gone? What do you mean he’s missing?'”

Aradillas visited Idaho in February and says she met with Kunz and Mitchell.

deorr familyjp — DeOrr Kunz, Sr. and Jessica Mitchell speak with People magazine. / photo courtesy Elaine Aradillas.

“DeOrr’s father clutched a stuffed animal that belonged to DeOrr throughout the interview and his mother stayed silent a lot of the time, but whenever she spoke, it was heartbreaking,” Aradillas says in a video posted on People.com.

EastIdahoNews.com will have comprehensive coverage of the one-year anniversary of DeOrr’s disappearance throughout July – including an in-depth documentary on the case.

SUBMIT A CORRECTION

DeOrr Kunz Jr. Chronology