Tragedy struck in Coos County as the search for 5-year-old Joshua James McCoy, who had been missing since Saturday, ended in heartache. OregonLive reported that the young boy was found dead on Tuesday, 2 miles away from his Stage Road home in the unincorporated community of Hauser.
Authorities started the search operation after McCoy went missing. Despite efforts to locate him using technological means - a cell phone ping attempt around 6:45 p.m. Saturday ended fruitlessly - officials expanded their search, which first responders sent out an "attempt to locate" to other agencies, as stated by KGW. Debunking initial rumors, it was confirmed that the idea Joshua had been picked up by a family member did not hold any truth.
An intensive search commenced on Sunday, with real-time GPS tracking and drones scanning the surrounding areas. By Monday, the search escalated with more than 60 personnel on the ground, drones overhead, and K9 units scouring the area, as per KOIN. This effort included CORSAR team members - a cooperative search and rescue entity between seven counties across Oregon and California. Federal personnel also joined the fray as the search extended over several days, the collaborative response underlined by the scale of support and resources marshaled.
The cause of the boy's death had yet to be determined, and officials remarked, "The investigation is ongoing and no additional information will be released at this time," according to an official announcement by the Coos County Sheriff's Office, obtained by KOIN.
