An Oregon mother is living her worst nightmare after waking from an almost five-hour nap to find her autistic 5-year-old son missing.
The body of Joshua James McCoy was found less than two miles from his home, three days after he went wandering while his mother slept.
About 1 p.m. on November 9, authorities in Oregon say a mother went down for an almost five-hour nap with her 5-year-old son Joshua James McCoy.
When she woke about 5:30 p.m., Joshua was no longer at her side. Coos County Sheriff’s Office explains that the boy, who had autism, was reported missing after sundown Saturday.
Missing boy
“Every minute matters,” writes Missing Kids. “Children on the autism spectrum may wander or go missing at a rate higher than other children. They may be trying to escape overwhelming stimuli like bright lights or loud sounds, or simply seeking out places of special interest to them that may calm their anxiety.”
Shortly after police arrived at the scene, the mother, identified by internet sleuths as Angela German, told them her child had a cellphone, but a “phone-ping did not provide any fruitful information.”
Alerts immediately went out to the public, saying that Joshua, described as about 3-foot-6, responded to either “Josh” or “Joshie,” although he “may not respond when called to.”
Coos County police also warned that civilian searches might interfere with evidence collection and the integrity of the ongoing investigation. “The concern is that evidence would be missed or tainted with an overwhelming number of personnel on scene,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Frantic search
The morning after Joshua went missing, the sheriff’s office shared a Facebook statement explaining that “efforts intensified using drones, Deputies, overwatch, and Detectives… Some clues were found, but nothing definitive…A pond on the property was drained and nothing of interest was located.”
Then on November 11, authorities activated CORSAR, “a collaborative search and rescue effort between seven counties in Oregon and California” to “search with 61 ground personnel, aerial support, and K9 resources. The Coos County Sheriff’s Office has also requested assistance from State and Federal agencies.”
But they couldn’t find Joshua in time. Sadly, on November 12, police shared another statement, letting the community know that around 12:30 p.m., Joshua had finally been found.
“It is with immense sadness that we have to report that missing Joshua McCoy has been found deceased.” The release continues, “Joshua was discovered deceased and found approximately 1.6 miles straight line distance North-West from the child’s residence, and almost 2 miles by road.”
Joshua’s father, Lawson Amos McCoy, shared a heartbreaking post on Facebook along with an adorable photo of the young child.
“My precious baby! Bless you my love. I’ll miss you the rest of my life,” writes the father, who lives in Ohio.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and “no additional information will be released at this time.”
Rest in peace, little Joshua.
