A 2-year-old Oregon boy vanished from his family’s front yard while playing in broad daylight on Saturday, prompting a massive search, authorities said.
Dane Paulsen disappeared just before 4:30 p.m. while playing out of sight of his parents in the front yard of their home north of Siletz, a small city near the Siletz River, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Sunday.
“Dane is friendly and fearless, and is comfortable around strangers and water, but cannot swim,” the sheriff’s office said. “Dane is known to love water and vehicles.”
Hundreds of people have joined the search, including certified search and rescuers, a Sheriff’s posse and community volunteers. In the initial 24 hours of Dane’s disappearance, the sheriff’s office said the teams covered nearly 300 miles, but so far have yet to find any signs of the child.
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Dane Paulsen, 2, went missing from his family’s front yard near Siletz, Oregon, on Saturday. (Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office )
The search also included multiple watercraft, divers, drones and K-9s.
Teams have scoured nearly 300 miles in the initial 24 hours of Dane’s disappearance, the sheriff’s office said. (Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office )
Dozens of investigators are following up on numerous leads, with assistance from the Lincoln County Major Crime Team and the FBI.
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The sheriff’s office said Dane’s disappearance does not meet the criteria for using the Amber Alert system at this time, and there is no evidence to suggest criminal actions are involved.
Investigators ruled out an unknown vehicle that was seen near a bridge close to the family’s home about 30 minutes before Dane disappeared. The sheriff’s office said the vehicle and its driver were located and were “no longer a point of interest.”
Authorities asked anyone with information about Dane’s disappearance to contact their Tip Line at 541-265-0669.
