**** RCMP Media Release
Child located after extensive Pictou County search
The 4-year-old child who was reported missing on East River East Side Rd. in Springville was located after an extensive search in Pictou County.
On September 24, 2022, at approximately 5:25 p.m., Pictou County District RCMP received a report of a 4-year-old boy who had been playing outside and wandered from his yard.
RCMP officers responded and began searching the area; they spoke with neighbours and checked properties. Two RCMP Police Dog Service teams were also immediately dispatched to the scene and began scouring nearby woods. A Vulnerable Missing Person emergency alert was sent to Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough and Colchester counties.
The RCMP partnered with ground search and rescue teams from Pictou County, Colchester County and East Hants. A helicopter was dispatched to assist in the search by air. Numerous volunteer fire departments from across Pictou County were also on location to provide assistance.
The search efforts, which continued overnight, included more than 100 search and rescue volunteer personnel, local firefighters, and RCMP officers.
At daylight on September 25, more search and rescue teams from multiple areas of the province began arriving on scene to relieve the previous search teams. A Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables helicopter was also dispatched to assist with a continued aerial search.
At 9:00 a.m., the young boy was located in a field alongside a wooded area about 2 kilometres from his home. EHS attended to assess and treat him for signs of exposure.
This search proved to be challenging due to cellular communications issues that are still impacting the province as a result of Hurricane Fiona.
The RCMP would like to thank the many ground search and rescue volunteers; the numerous Pictou County fire service volunteers; and our partners at Nova Scotia Public Safety and Field Communications and Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.
