MERRIMAC, MASS. (WHDH) – A young boy is home and safe with his family after a quick and cooperative response between Merrimac and Amesbury first responders.
Merrimac Police Chief Eric Shears, Merrimac Fire Chief Larry Fisher and Amesbury Police Chief Craig Bailey report that the Merrimac Police and Fire Departments Amesbury Police, and other mutual aid partners located a boy lost in a Merrimac swamp Friday evening.
At 7:37 p.m. Friday, the Merrimac Police and Fire Departments received a report of a missing 7-year-old boy. Merrimac Officers Jonathan G. Hewey and Scott LaValley were dispatched to a home on East Main Street. Amesbury Officer Tommy Nichols and K-9 Meatball also responded, as well as Officer Liam Leary and Ryan Devaney.
They were joined by other officers who responded while off duty: Merrimac Sgt. Richard Holcroft, Merrimac Officer William David and Amesbury Officer Neil Moody who both provided drone support.
After an intensive search, Officer Nichols, K-9 Meatball, Officer Hewey and Officer Devaney located the child about 1.3 miles away. The child was found in a swampy marsh, waist-deep in water and unable to move out of the mud. The officers were able to extricate him from the mud and carry him to safety for evaluation. The officers were led out of the woods with the help of the drone units.
Resources from the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) and the Massachusetts State Police were activated and then canceled upon location of the lost child.
Chief Fisher and a crew of Merrimac firefighters supported the search efforts and then treated the young boy.
The boy was transported to an area hospital as a precaution, then released.
“I have never been prouder of the department, our mutual aid partners and our community,” said Chief Shears. “Sgt. Holcroft displayed exceptional leadership as he managed the response. Officers Hewey and LaValley immediately took the proper steps to secure the scene from contamination, which…