Xavier Death search: Emotional scenes as a missing little boy is reunited with his relieved parents in Riverstone, Sydney
Extraordinary footage has emerged of the incredible moment a missing boy, who sparked a three-hour search, was reunited with his desperate family.
The family of Xavier Death raised the alarm shortly after the three-year-old toddler disappeared from a home in Angus, near Riverstone in Sydney’s northwest, at around 2.35pm on Monday.
Police launched an urgent investigation as there were serious concerns about his welfare given his young age.
Officer, with help from the community, searched for him for more than three and a half hours
Xavier was found safe and well by a citizen at around 6:10 p.m., more than 1 km from where he went missing.
Surrounded and comforted by relieved family members, Xavier’s emotional father fought back tears as he hugged his son tightly.
“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came out to help my little boy find his way home,” Mr Death told reporters.
Without the community we would have had to search for him all night.
“I also want to thank the man who found it. I don’t remember his name, but I appreciate him very much.”
When asked by reporters why he left the house alone, Xavier said he was looking for kangaroos before he got lost.
Xavier’s father said his son might never have been found if it hadn’t been for his helpful neighbors.
Luckily, Xavier was wearing warm clothes when he left.
The man who found him asked Xavier if he needed help, but the boy was initially distracted by a passing kangaroo.
Xavier was reunited with his father after going on an adventure ‘in search of kangaroos’
The three-year-old went missing near Riverstone at 2:35pm and was found more than three hours later 1km away
According to his father, the sun had already set during the search for Xavier, “long before they found him,” and temperatures in the area had also dropped.
“Following a large-scale search and a warning message with geographical orientation to the local area, the boy was found by a local resident at around 6:10 p.m.,” the statement said.
“The Riverstone Police Department would like to thank the community for their assistance.”