Missing Boy Found Safe In Maine Woods

ACTON, ME — A 5-year-old boy from New Jersey who got lost hiking with relatives in Acton spent a night in the woods over the weekend before he was rescued, authorities said. The boy was hiking near Hussey Hill Road when he became separated from his relatives at about 6 p.m. The family searched for him then called for help at about 8 p.m., according to the Maine Warden Service.

Authorities launched a search involving state police, game wardens, York County sheriff's deputies, the Acton Fire Department, and volunteer K-9 teams, among other assets. On Monday at about 2 a.m., volunteer K-9 handler Dorothy Smail and her dog Tala found the boy safe about a half-mile from where he was last seen. He was hospitalized as a precaution but expected to be OK.

"Maine Warden Service (officials) remind people to stay together while hiking, do not take shortcuts, have proper clothing for the weather ... and a safety backpack," the state Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife said in a statement. "Officials also recommend looking for a lost person about 15 to 20 minutes and then call the Maine Warden Service so that professional search resources and management can get started to find the person."

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