Mom wakes up from nap in quiet Oregon coastal town to find autistic son, 5, has vanished
A mother woke up from a nap in her quiet Oregon seaside town to discover her autistic 5-year-old son had disappeared, according to police.
Joshua James McCoy disappeared from his home in Hauser, Coos County, on November 9 and has not been seen since.
His mother told police she went to sleep with the boy at 1 p.m. and he was gone when she woke up at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Coos County Sheriff’s Office activated the search and rescue team the next day, saying they found “some clues” during their search but “nothing definitive.” No further details about these clues have been shared.
Oregon police are looking for Joshua James McCoy, 5, who officials say disappeared from his home on Nov. 9
“After an initial assessment was completed, local teams began searching the surrounding areas, and their efforts intensified on the morning of November 10, using drones, deputies, overwatch and detectives,” they said in an update Monday evening.
“As of today, CORSAR, a joint search and rescue effort between seven counties in Oregon and California, has continued the search with 61 ground crews, air support and K9 assets.”
The department added that “nothing is being ruled out at this time as we are considering all possible avenues.”
“We remain hopeful that Joshua will be found alive and well.”
Police have asked the public to stay away from the search area because they fear evidence could be destroyed.
Joshua, who is autistic, is described as having brown hair and brown eyes. He reportedly weighs 50 to 60 pounds and is 3 feet, 6 inches tall
The boy went missing in the Hauser area – an unincorporated area of Coos County, pictured above
They said: ‘While the offer of assistance is greatly appreciated by members of the public, the capacity of the search area is limited, and the concern is that evidence could be missed or contaminated if there are an overwhelming number of personnel on the scene.’
Hauser is an unincorporated area in Coos County, near the Pacific coast.
Joshua is described as having brown shoulder-length hair and brown eyes.
He weighs 50 to 60 pounds and is 3 feet, 6 inches tall.
Police say the boy responds to ‘Josh’ or Joshie.’
However, officials noted that because he is autistic, he may not respond when called.
Police have asked anyone with information about the boy to call 541-269-8911.