Fruitland Police searching for 5-year-old boy missing since Tuesday

FRUITLAND (KIVI) — Fruitland Police need your help finding a missing five-year-old boy.

Michael Joseph Vaughan — who also responds to the nickname “Monkey” — was reported missing around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Michael was last seen on foot around 6:30 Tuesday evening near his home on Southwest 9th Street in Fruitland.

Michael Vaughan is considered missing and endangered. He was last wearing a light blue Minecraft t-shirt with dark blue boxer briefs. He is 43 inches tall, 50 lbs., with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Local law enforcement, EMS agencies, and community members joined in on the search for Michael. Those efforts included vehicles, foot, and aerial searches thanks to drones and a St. Luke’s helicopter. Fruitland Police say forward-looking/infrared thermal systems were used with no success.

Idaho Mountain Rescue later joined the search with their highly trained search and rescue personnel and a tracking K-9. Police are asking residents to check their property and security cameras for any sign of the boy.

Fruitland Police say as of Wednesday morning, Michael’s whereabouts are still unknown and the investigation is ongoing. In a release, the department thanked the community and partner first responders for their help in thoroughly searching the area.

If you know anything about where Michael Vaughan may be, call 911 or the Payette County Sheriff’s Office at (208) 642-6006, ext. 0.