Statement Regarding the Search and Rescue of Missing Six-Year-Old Child in Lawrence County

By Travis Hughes
Lawrence County Emergency Management Director

“First and foremost, I can’t begin to express how thankful and grateful I am for the tremendous outpouring of support we received throughout this entire search and rescue operation.

When we first received the call Sunday afternoon (Nov. 1) about a missing six-year-old autistic child, we knew we had a very serious situation on our hands. Our number one priority from the very beginning was finding that little boy and bringing him home safely.

As the search continued, we knew time was not on our side. We had received information that the child had removed his clothing at some point, which made the situation even more concerning, especially with the possibility of exposure to the elements. Every minute mattered, and we knew we needed every available resource we could get.

What happened over the course of this search was nothing short of a miracle, and I praise God for that. I give Him all the praise and glory for what happened yesterday and for allowing us to bring this little boy home safely. It was also an incredible, overwhelming effort from so many people who came together with one common goal. I truly believe God had His hand on this entire situation, and for that, I will forever be thankful.

We had assistance from the Kentucky State Police, including their aviation resources, along with a helicopter from the National Guard. We also had an additional helicopter provided by Todd Case, who stepped up to assist in our search efforts. We had numerous search and rescue teams respond from across Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio. We also had tremendous support from our neighboring counties, emergency responders, and countless other agencies and organizations.

I especially want to recognize and thank all of our Lawrence County fire departments, along with the City of Louisa Fire Department, our neighboring fire departments, and the individual firefighters from other departments who came to assist us. These men and women worked tremendously hard throughout this entire operation. They put in long, exhausting hours, many of them working tirelessly alongside our search teams, doing whatever was needed to help bring this little boy home. Their dedication, commitment, and willingness to serve did not go unnoticed. I cannot say enough about the tremendous job these guys and girls did. They were there with us throughout this search, and I want each and every one of them to know how much I appreciate their hard work and sacrifice. We simply could not have done this without them.

I couldn’t begin to name every single department, organization, search team, or individual who assisted us. There were simply that many people involved. But I want each and every one of them to know how much their efforts meant to us.

And then there were our volunteers.

I have always said that when something happens here in Lawrence County, our people come together. But what I witnessed during this search was truly something special.

When we put out the call for volunteers, our community answered. In fact, at one point, we had so many people wanting to help that we had to ask additional volunteers to hold off while we organized the resources we already had.

That’s the kind of community we live in.

We had churches opening their doors, people preparing and delivering meals, businesses and individuals donating food, drinks, and snacks, and people offering to help in any way they possibly could.

It wasn’t just Lawrence County, either. People came from surrounding counties and neighboring states, many of whom had never met this little boy or his family. They came for one reason, and that was to help bring him home.

As Emergency Management Director, I’ve witnessed our community come together during difficult situations before, but this is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I also want to recognize the men and women who were physically out there searching. These individuals spent countless hours covering difficult terrain, walking through wooded areas, searching hillsides and hollers, and doing everything they possibly could to locate this child.

Many were exhausted, but they kept going because everyone was focused on the same mission.

And that mission was bringing this little boy home.

I’m still trying to process everything that happened. Between the long hours, the emotions, the concern for this child’s safety, and the overwhelming amount of support, it’s honestly difficult to put into words.

But I can tell you this: I have never been more proud of our community and the people who stepped up when they were needed most.

This was not the effort of one person, one department, or one agency. This was a collective effort involving an incredible number of people working toward one common goal.

And at the end of the day, that’s what emergency services and community are all about. It’s about putting differences aside, coming together, and doing whatever it takes to help someone in need.

I’m just extremely thankful that this search ended with that little boy being found and brought home.

There are so many people I wish I could personally shake hands with and thank. I know I’ll never be able to thank everyone individually, but I hope they understand just how much their efforts meant to this little boy, his family, and our entire community.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. We couldn’t have done this without you.