Missing boy, 5, found dead after vanishing while his mom napped

After waking up after a nearly five-hour slumber to discover her autistic 5-year-old son gone, an Oregon mother is experiencing her worst fear.

Three days after Joshua James McCoy wandered off as his mother slept, his body was discovered less than two miles from his house.

Authorities in Oregon report that at approximately 1 p.m. on November 9, a woman and her 5-year-old son, Joshua James McCoy, fell asleep for nearly five hours.

Joshua was gone from her side when she woke up at around 5:30 p.m. According to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, the autistic boy was reported missing on Saturday after dusk.

Boy missing
“Every minute counts,” Missing Kids writes. “Compared to ordinary children, children on the autism spectrum may wander or disappear more frequently. They can be looking for locations that pique their attention and could help them relax, or they might be attempting to avoid overpowering stimuli like bright lights or loud noises.

The mother, who internet detectives have identified as Angela German, told police that her child had a cellphone shortly after they arrived, but that a “phone-ping did not provide any fruitful information.”

Public alerts were sent out right after, stating that Joshua, who is roughly three feet six inches tall, replied to either “Josh” or “Joshie,” but “may not respond when called to.”

Additionally, Coos County police cautioned that civilian searches could compromise the integrity of the current investigation and the gathering of evidence. “With so many people on the scene, there is a risk that evidence will be overlooked or contaminated,” the sheriff’s office said.

A frantic hunt
The sheriff’s office posted a Facebook posting the morning after Joshua vanished, stating that “efforts intensified employing drones, Deputies, overwatch, and Detectives… There were some hints discovered, but nothing conclusive.Nothing of importance was found in a pond that had been drained on the site.

Authorities then launched CORSAR, “a joint search and rescue operation between seven counties in Oregon and California,” on November 11 in order to conduct a search with 61 ground troops, K9 resources, and aerial support. Additionally, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office has asked for help from federal and state organizations.

However, they were unable to locate Joshua in time. Regretfully, police released another statement on November 12 informing the public that Joshua had been located at approximately 12:30 p.m.

“We regret to inform you that Joshua McCoy, who was missing, has been found dead.” “Joshua was found deceased and approximately 1.6 miles straight line distance North-West from the child’s residence, and nearly 2 miles by road,” the announcement adds.

Lawson Amos McCoy, Joshua’s father, posted a sorrowful message on Facebook along with a cute picture of the small youngster.

“My darling child! My darling, may you be blessed. The Ohio-based parent says, “I will miss you for the rest of my life.”

The investigation is still ongoing, according to the police, and “no additional information will be released at this time.”