At about 8:45 Saturday morning a 6 year old severely autistic child was reported missing to the Dorchester County Sheriff's Department and a search commenced that would grow to hundreds of searchers and incident managers. Searchers from 43 different agencies responded to support the search, searchers were on foot (including people and search dogs), horse back, four wheelers, 4 X 4's, and in helicopters. While divers searched wells and ponds in the area. Of the only two clues found early in the search turned up to be dead ends and the rain which washed away any chance of tracking from those clues, search managers were at a loss at the end of the second day. On Monday day three the search continued as the search area was to be expanded to include a larger search area. This search ended in tragedy when the boys body was discovered in a pond that had been searched by divers, the case is still under investigation by Dorchester County Sheriffs Office.
AGENCIES INVOLVED
IN
SEARCH OPERATIONS
Command & Support Dorchester Co. Sheriff
Dorchester Co. EPD
Charleston Co. EPD
Charleston Co.
Communications
Dorchester Co. EMS
Charleston Co. Rescue
Dorchester Co. PWD
SC State Guard, Signal Batt, Communications
SC DNR
American Red Cross
Search Operations
St. George PD
Ridgeville PD
Charleston Co. Sheriff
K-9 Teams
Helicopter
Divers
Ground Teams
Charleston PD
K-9 Teams
Horses
Helicopter
Ground Teams
North Chasn PD
Ground Teams
K-9 Teams
Richland Co. Sheriff
Mounted Posse, Horses
Orangeburg Co Sheriff, K-9 Team
Berkeley Co. Rangers,
Horses
Colleton Co Sheriff
Mt Pleasant PD
Summerville PD
SC Pardon and Parole
SLED
St. George FD
Grover FD
Reevesville FD
Indian Field FD
Harlyville FD
Dorchester FD
Ashley River FD
Old Fort FD
Charleston FD
North Chasn FD
James Island FD
Lincolnville FD
Wolfton FD/Rescue
USAF Chasn CFR
Orangeburg Co. ES
Upper Dor. Co Rescue
Civil Air Patrol Ground Teams
York Co.
Greenville Co.
Sumter Co.
Aiken Co.
Blue Ridge Sq.
Lexington Comp.
Coastal Chasn
SC State Guard, 3rd Batt., Chasn
The Command Post was re-established at the community center behind the original command area which had become the Staging Area. Search Teams were kept in the Staging areas until they were needed to search an area. This kept the Command Post from becoming over crowded.
The Parking and Staging Area was kept out on Alonzo Road. Heavy rains turned the parking areas into mud holes and Dorchester Co. PWD had to haul in sand and ROC to make parking area accessible.
Organized mounted teams from Berkeley County Rangers, Richland Co. Sheriff (both groups are volunteers), and Charleston Police Dept.
Fire Fighters and Volunteers from the community also assisted in searching areas by horse back.
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