On November 14, the 5-year-old child who went missing last week was found dead only 2 miles from his home.
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Joshua McCoy, who has autism, was reported missing from his home in Hauser, Oregon, on November 9. He had reportedly snuck out of the house while his mom napped. She slept at 1 pm and awoke at 5:30 pm to find the child absent.
A statement by Coos County Sheriff's Office shared that he was found dead at around 12:30 pm. In a community notice, the Sheriff's Office stated that "The cause of his death remains unknown." They said that the investigation is still ongoing and that nobody is in custody.
"It is with immense sadness," the statement began, sharing sympathy for the mother of Joshua. In their later update, they also said, "Now is a time for healing and remembrance."
It is unknown where the boy went or what happened to him. Heartbreakingly, his body was found very close to home. According to officials, the boy was "found approximately 1.6 miles straight line distance North-West from the child's residence, and almost 2 miles by road."
The office did assure people that, "The areas that have been searched have been very thorough and methodical due to the circumstances behind the disappearance." Unfortunately, it seems nothing helpful has surfaced in any of the searches.
Young Boy Disappeared While Mom Napped
The statement shared the history of the missing person case. First responders arrived at his home around 6:45 pm. It is unknown how Joshua escaped the house, but it happened between 1 pm and 5:30 pm while the mother napped.
Deputies then began searching the property and the immediate area. They looked into allegations that a known family member may have picked him up, although that turned out false. Up until the day he was found dead, the authorities kept searching for the boy with the help of communities and other ervices.
K9 units, ground and Drone operators, community volunteers, and other agencies helped in the search for Joshua. Although some clues were found, nothing substantial was found that aided the investigation.
Hopefully the Sheriff's Office will share an update about the case soon.
