JUMPING BRANCH, (Hinton News) – A child went missing in the Jumping Branch area on Thursday, Feb. 2. The Summers County Sheriff’s Office asked for the public’s assistance to locate an 11-year-old male runaway in a public Facebook post. They asked that individuals who live or have property in the area check any outbuildings, barns, vehicles or anywhere on their property where the boy could be hiding.
Later that night, around 4 a.m. on Friday, rescuers halted foot searches until daylight. Search efforts resumed that morning with first responders and community volunteers meeting at the Bluestone Baptist Church to organize. Multiple agencies, groups and individuals became involved, lending various equipment, manpower and other resources.
A country-wide tone went out to all of the local fire departments, with members responding from each. Fire Department’s from Monroe, Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer and Raleigh counties also responded. In addition to officers with the Summers County Sheriff’s Office, officers from the West Virginia State Police, Hinton Police Department, Princeton Police Department and deputies from Raleigh and Mercer County assisted. Other involved agencies included The West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, Summers County EMS, Jan-Care, and The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
Additionally, members of the Bluestone Baptist Church provided resources by allowing first responders to stage at the church and providing food and drinks.
Around 1:30 p.m. on Friday, after close to 24 hours of searching, rescuers located the child. According to reports, the boy was found “safe and healthy.” According to an update from the Sheriff’s Office, the child was being treated for possible hypothermia but was safe and “in good spirits.”
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