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Rescuers searching North Carolina woods heard missing 3-year-old boy calling out for his mom

Posted at 11:30 AM, Jan 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-25 11:30:57-05

Hundreds of volunteers helped authorities search for the 3-year-old North Carolina boy last seen playing near his grandmother’s home.

It took three harrowing days for a search team to find Casey Hathaway alive.

Facing heavy rain, gusty winds and low visibility, rescuers and law enforcement combed the difficult Craven County, North Carolina, terrain — focusing on up to 1,000 acres of heavily-wooded areas.

On day three, a tip led the search team to a spot where they were able to hear the 3-year-old calling out for his mother, Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes told reporters at a news conference Thursday night.

They followed his call 40 to 50 yards into the woods, through water, to find Casey tangled in vines and thorns, Hughes said.

He was cold, authorities said, but alive and responsive.

The search

Casey was playing with two other relatives in his great-grandmother’s backyard Tuesday, but didn’t come inside when the others did, CNN affiliate WTVD reported.

His family searched for him for 45 minutes before calling 911, Hughes said.

“He was walking in the woods back there and we can’t find him,” his great-grandmother told the 911 dispatcher. “The other ones came through the house but left him there, and he walked off somewhere and we can’t find him.”

But, police say, he is in good spirits and has been reunited with his family.

Search and rescue teams from across the state immediately came together to brave the treacherous terrain and low temperatures hoping to find Casey.

The FBI, NCIS, dozens of volunteers and the U.S. Marine Corps also joined the effort to find the boy, Hughes said.

Authorities employed helicopters, drones and K-9 units, Craven County Emergency Management Director Stanley Kite said. Divers also assessed nearby ponds, WTVD reported.

The boy authorities described as 25 pounds and 2 feet 4 inches tall was stuck out in conditions so bad that volunteers were turned away from the search.

Hughes said his team was concerned about the “extreme cold” as temperatures dipped near freezing, but against all odds, they found him.

“It was folks giving us tips and leads,” Hughes said. “We hit every one of them immediately and it paid off.”

Already asking to watch Netflix

Casey is receiving medical treatment for cuts and scrapes at Carolina East Medical Center, said Shelley Lynch, spokeswoman for the FBI Charlotte field office.

But, police say, he is in good spirits and has been reunited with his family.

“He’s good, he’s up and talking,” Casey’s mother told reporters. “He’s already asked to watch Netflix, so he’s good.”

What was really special was how Casey brightened up when his little sister was brought in to see him, Hughes said.

Hughes said there is no sign of abduction in this case.