Morden RCMP are reporting that a 3-year-old boy was recently rescued after going missing from family and friends at a location in the Rural Municipality of Stanley.
On September 27, 2023, at approximately 9:20pm, Morden RCMP received a report of a missing three-year-old boy from the RM of Stanley. It was reported that the child had been missing and the family had been searching for him for nearly two hours before police were contacted.
Police attended the scene immediately and called the local fire department to assist as well. The RCMP Search and Rescue team, along with RCMP Police Service Dog Jolt and the RCMP Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) unit also responded to the scene.
Police determined that the child had been playing with family and friends when they all decided to go into the tree line. The little boy was believed to have gone into a cornfield.
RCMP report that emergency lights were left on to create more light in case the child could see them and a perimeter search was done by vehicle to see if the child had exited the cornfield. A row-by-row search was conducted on the 210-acre cornfield by the RCMP, fire department, and civilians. Outbuildings were also searched by police. Continual perimeter checks were conducted and the RPAS hit on multiple heat signatures turned out to be wildlife. Police Service Dog Jolt also entered the field to determine if there was a scent trail.
RPAS were soon after able to locate another heat signature in the field, west of the residence. Officers say that at 12:40am on September 28, the child was located and taken immediately to Emergency Medical Services, who were on standby. Police noted that the boy was not physically injured as a result of this incident.
“This is the best possible outcome, and it is because of the quick response of everyone involved,” said Sergeant Scott McAuley, Pembina Valley RCMP Area Commander. “The local fire department, civilian searchers, and all the RCMP teams came together to find this little boy and showed how important it is for community to come together. It is a great day when we are able to hand a missing child back to their frantic parents and reunite a family. Thank you to everyone who assisted. Working together, you made a difference.”
