SUBJECT:

8-year-old white male juvenile. Subject lived with is father in San Francisco during the week and his mother in Guerneville during the weekend. Subject had lived in the area until about two years ago. The subject had visited the house that was the PLS at least 20 times in the past several years.

FIRST OPERATIONAL PERIOD:

SAR team members arrived on scene about 2200 to 2300. Further investigation revealed that the subject had been known to hide in the past when he didn't want to comply with adult directions. Subject also had issues between his mother and father and preferred to stay with his father. Subject was reasonably well dressed for the weather with jeans, a t-shirt, and heavy sweatshirt. The overhead team felt the highest probability was that the subject was hiding somewhere in the vicinity of the house and may have gotten lost in his efforts to hide. Teams were assigned by 2330 although travel time from the CP to the PLS meant most teams didn't begin their searches until almost 2330.

1. 1. Divided teams into a PLS search team and four teams that would search a 500 yard radius around the house. The house had many outbuildings, all of which had to be searched.
2. A tracking team was sent to the PLS to attempt to obtain track information and another tracking team was sent to the car to attempt to find any evidence the subject had made it down to the car.
3. A bloodhound team worked from the PLS.
4. The ground search teams finished their assignments by about 0400. The tracking teams and dog team continued to work the area.

1. 1. Since it was felt that the highest probability was the subject was hiding and not truly lost, and given the subjects familiarity with the general area, the overhead team decided to make a maximum effort to have as many people as possible on the roads at dawn.
2. 2. Since the area is laced with old logging roads that only local knowledge would be able to locate, we asked the Ft. Ross Fire Department for mutual aid. The Ft Ross chief had 12 members at the CP at 0530.
3. Overhead segmented the excellent Cazadero FD maps that showed the road details in the area for up to 15 road patrols.
4. Ground teams had returned by 0500 while the trackers and dog team continued to work.
5. Held a joint briefing with SAR team and Ft. Ross FD members, assigning one each to a team.
6. Teams were dispatched as they were briefed with the last team in the field at 0615.

THE FIND:

A Ft Ross FD squad spotted the subject walking east on Ft. Ross Rd about ¼ mile from the junction of Ft. Ross Rd. and the road to the PLS at 0714. Subject was in good condition and was bought to the CP for debriefing.

WHAT HAPPENED:

Subject stated he didn't realize that his mother had went back into the house to say goodbye and thought she had already started walking down to the car. He started walking back down to the car but said he must have taken a wrong turn since he didn't recognize the road after a while. It was now getting dark and the subject tried to cut across country to reach the correct road. Once it was dark, the subject realized he wasn't going to find the road so he found a sheltered log and slept on and off through the night. He stated he heard the voice calls from the helicopter but was afraid to move "because he might trip". He heard no other voice calls during the night and was probably about 300 yards out of our search area.

Once dawn arrived, the subject was able to get his bearings and walk cross county down to Ft. Ross Rd. where the Ft. Ross FD squad located him. He was checked by Guerneville medics and found to be in cold but otherwise in good shape. He was reunited with his parents and stepparents and sent on his way.