Current:Home > Invest5-year-old boy who went missing while parent was napping is found dead near Oregon home, officials say-LoTradeCoin
5-year-old boy who went missing while parent was napping is found dead near Oregon home, officials say
View Date:2024-12-23 15:09:58
A 5-year-old boy who vanished from his family's home in Oregon late last week has been found dead, local law enforcement is reporting.
"It is with immense sadness that we have to report that missing Joshua McCoy has been found deceased," the Coos County Sheriff’s Office posted in a news release Tuesday.
Joshua, who had autism, was last seen at his home the evening of Saturday, Nov. 9 in in Hauser, an unincorporated community not far from the Pacific Ocean about 200 miles southwest of Portland, according to a missing person notice.
According to officials, the boy and his mother took a nap at 1 p.m., and when the boy's mother awoke at 5:30 p.m., she reported her son was gone.
The boy's body was found Tuesday less than two miles away from the home at about 12:30 p.m. local time, officials reported.
As of Thursday, no arrests had been made in connection to the boy's death, sheriff's office Sgt. Christopher W. Gill told USA TODAY.
"All avenues are being explored and the investigation is ongoing," Gill said.
Family says news brought 'peace':Husband of missing mom Suzanne Simpson charged with murder
Joshua McCoy found dead, cause of death not immediately known
Prior to the boy's body being found, a pond at the home "was drained and nothing of interest was located," officials posted online.
Sometime after 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, the day the boy disappeared, first responders learned Joshua had a cellphone, but a phone-ping "did not provide any fruitful information," the sheriff's office wrote.
Police dogs, local fire departments, community volunteers and people from several other counties in Oregon as well as California combed a large area around the home during the nearly four-day search for the boy.
Shocking skeletal discovery:Up to 20 human skulls found in man's discarded bags, home in New Mexico
Sheriff's office: Investigation into Joshua McCoy's death ongoing
It was not immediately known how the boy died.
An autopsy was completed on the boy by the Oregon State Medical Examiners Office, Gill said. His official cause and manner of death were pending Thursday.
"Any further information will be released when it becomes available," Gill said.
Dangers of 'elopement'
According to the National Autism Association, nonverbal children have a tendency to wander off. In a behavior referred to as "elopement," children with autism may sometimes try to leave the safety of a responsible person's care or a safe area.
Research shows some people with autism elope because they are overwhelmed with sensory stimulation of something too loud or too bright, but the most common trigger of elopement is wanting to get closer to an object, drawing their curiosity.
A review by the association discovered more than 800 elopement cases from 2011 and 2016, with nearly a third being fatal or resulting in the child requiring medical attention, while another 38% involved a close call with water, traffic, or another life-threatening situation.
Contributing: Ahjane Forbes and Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
veryGood! (92)
Related
- Former Disney Star Skai Jackson Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby With Her Boyfriend
- 15 House Democrats call on Biden to take border executive action
- How to Grow Long, Strong Natural Nails At Home, According To A Nail Artist
- New iPad Pro, Air unveiled: See prices, release dates, new features for Apple's latest devices
- What’s the secret to growing strong, healthy nails?
- How Spider-Man Star Jacob Batalon's 100-Pound Weight Loss Transformed More Than His Physique
- US’s largest public utility ignores warnings in moving forward with new natural gas plant
- The TWR Supercat V-12 is the coolest Jaguar XJS you (probably) forgot about
- Police capture Tennessee murder suspect accused of faking his own death on scenic highway
- Recreational marijuana backers try to overcome rocky history in South Dakota
Ranking
- Taylor Swift drops Christmas merchandise collection, including for 'Tortured Poets' era
- Colorado Avalanche rally for overtime win over Dallas Stars in NHL playoff Game 1
- Storms battering the Midwest bring tornadoes, hail and strong winds
- Kelsea Ballerini’s Post-Met Gala Ritual Is So Relatable
- FBI offers up to $25,000 reward for information about suspect behind Northwest ballot box fires
- Severe weather threat extends from Michigan to Chicago; tornado reported near Kalamazoo
- Zendaya Aces With 4th Head-Turning Look for Met Gala 2024 After-Party
- The Daily Money: How much does guilt-tipping cost us?
Recommendation
-
Nevada Democrats keep legislative control but fall short of veto-proof supermajority
-
Semi-automatic gun ban nixed in Colorado’s Democratic-controlled statehouse after historic progress
-
The Daily Money: How much does guilt-tipping cost us?
-
Met Gala 2024 highlights: Zendaya, Gigi Hadid bloom in garden theme, plus what you didn't see
-
Why Officials Believe a Missing Kayaker Faked His Own Death and Ran Off to Europe
-
Mexico tightens travel rules on Peruvians in a show of visa diplomacy to slow migration to US
-
Legal Challenges Continue for SunZia Transmission Line
-
Charm Necklaces Are The Jewelry Trend of Spring & Summer: Here Are The 13 Cutest Ones To Shop ASAP