The tragic disappearance of 5-year-old Joshua James McCoy, reported missing in Oregon over the weekend, came to a heartbreaking end Tuesday. He Coos County Sheriff’s Office announced that Joshua’s body was found less than two miles from his home in Hauser, a small unincorporated community along Route 101. The sheriff’s office has not released additional details about his death.
According PeopleJoshua, who had autism and was affectionately called Josh or Joshie, was reported missing after sunset on Saturday. His mother told authorities that both she and Joshua had fallen asleep in the afternoon, but when she woke up around 5:30 p.m., he was nowhere to be found, according to information provided by the sheriff’s office.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that children on the autism spectrum are at increased risk of wandering from safe places, and are often drawn to potentially dangerous areas, such as bodies of water, construction sites, highways and train tracks. . The Sheriff’s Office shared this concern in their search efforts, as these behaviors may have played a role in Joshua’s disappearance.
In a statement Tuesday night, Sgt. Christopher Gill of the sheriff’s office expressed deep regret at the outcome. “It is with immense sadness that we have to report that the missing Joshua McCoy has been found deceased,” he said.
As part of their extensive search, officials drained a pond on the family’s property but did not locate any leads in that area. Throughout the search, teams employed drones and K-9 units, and sought additional support from state and federal agencies, as mentioned in a Monday night update from the sheriff’s office on Facebook.
Authorities have not yet addressed whether charges could be filed in connection with Joshua’s death. He Coos County Sheriff’s Office and the local community continue to mourn the loss of young Joshua McCoy, whose tragic passing has left a profound impact on everyone involved in the search and investigation.