The Latest:
According to the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, 3-year-old Casey Hathaway has been found alive and safe.
Officials say Hathaway was found in an area where crews had been searching all day Thursday.
Original Story:
ERNUL, N.C. (AP) — Hundreds of volunteers are helping authorities search for a 3-year-old North Carolina boy last seen playing near his grandmother’s home.
Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes tells news outlets Wednesday afternoon that the FBI, state investigators and the U.S. Marines Corps from nearby bases at Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point are part of the effort to find Casey Lynn Hathaway.
Hughes says the boy was playing with two other children in his grandmother’s backyard Tuesday, but didn’t come inside with them.
Hughes says Casey wasn’t adequately dressed for the cold weather and he’s concerned about sinkholes and deep water ditches in the area. He says divers are assessing nearby ponds.
Casey is 28 inches (71 centimeters) tall, weighs 25 pounds (11 kilograms) and has blond hair and brown eyes.
