Toddler found alive after 3 days in forest

A 3-year old who went missing in a forested area was found alive and well after three days in an Ontario forest. SAR is trying to figure out how they missed him less than 1 km from his last reported location, after an extensive search -- which was starting to wind down.

Takeaway: he was properly dressed for the conditions.

Point to ponder: is it possible that a 3-year old has more survival sense than some adults? Hmm.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7731691/opp-f...alive-and-well/

Even with a "massive search", it is easy to miss signs and clues - a moment's inattention, wrong angle, bad lighting can all contribute to not picking up details...

Young children have been known to hide and not respond, fearing they have done something wrong.

Bottom line, and most important, he was dressed for conditions...

All's well that ends well.

More details on the search, terrain and weather:

https://globalnews.ca/news/7733619/officer-toddler-ontario-woods-recovery/

And this from the OPP officers who found him:

“As I was tying a piece of flagging tape to a tree branch, I saw something blue up ahead and just off to the right — you don’t see a lot of blue in nature in the bush — and it stood out,” McNames said in an interview with Global News Thursday.

The officers realized it was Jude, sleeping near the pond.

“Then Jude, the little boy, raised his head and opened his eyes and (another officer) said: ‘and he’s alive,'” McNames said.

Not only did Jude survive, but McNames said he seemed in good condition.

“I just picked him up and he was really thirsty,” McNames said.

OPP are unsure how Jude did so well out in the sometimes below zero, rainy and blustery weather, but the answer might be his clothes.

“When I picked him up, he was warm, he wasn’t cold, he wasn’t shivering. He was wet, but the wool sweater might have saved him,” McNames said. “He’s a tough little guy.”

So awesome! It's amazing how resilient kids can be.