Child found
Police say 4-year-old Ethan Myers was likely looking for spring mushrooms when he wandered into the woods behind his grandparents' northern Putnam County home Wednesday afternoon and went missing for about an hour.
"He went mushroom hunting with his grandfather the day before, and he thought he could do it on his own," Putnam County Sheriff Mark Frisbie told the BannerGraphic after the child had been found.
Officials say family members had been unable to locate the child for about an hour before 911 was called.
To his grandmother's relief, he was found three minutes after police arrived.
"He was probably 150 yards from the house, just barely in the woods," Frisbie said.
However, the initial alarm had triggered a multi-agency search at the home of the boy's grandmother, May Daringer, at 6000 E. CR 600 North.
Officers from Putnam County, Greencastle, Indiana State Police and Roachdale as well as firefighters from Floyd Township, medics from PMH and Operation Life and Putnamville Correctional Facility search teams were all dispatched to the scene.
Putnam County 911 Director Dave Costin said it is always better to overreact in this kind of situation.
He said parents should call 911 as soon as they realize their child may be missing.
"If the child gets too far, it becomes harder and harder to find a trail," he explained.
Sheriff's officials say there was no wrongdoing on the part of Myers' grandparents, who watch him during the day.
"Nobody did anything wrong. There was no neglect or anything," Deputy Ed Wilson explained. "He is a 4-year-old. One minute he was there and one minute he was gone."