Police dog helps rescue North Carolina boy with special needs during snowstorm
A North Carolina boy with special needs is home safe after he wandered off during a major snowstorm, according to police, who credited a K-9 with assisting in the rescue effort.
The child, 13, walked away from his home on Saturday night "during the height of the snowstorm," the Gastonia Police Department said on social media. The boy was not wearing proper clothing, the department said.
Temperatures were below freezing on Saturday night, according to CBS affiliate KCNC. Gastonia received several inches of new snow, on top of snow and ice accumulations that had already fallen the week before. The boy "was at serious risk due to the dangerously cold and snowy conditions," the department said.
Multiple agencies were called to help search for the child. A K-9 officer named Bo was given an item belonging to the boy to smell. He quickly began tracking the scent.
While Bo tracked the boy, the Gastonia police department, sheriff's office and EMS established a secured perimeter to search for the child.
The child "wandered into" that perimeter, the Gastoina Police Department said, and was spotted by EMS workers. They were able to safely rescue the boy. He was "cold, but unharmed," the police department said.
The department said "quick action, strong teamwork and the dedication of everyone involved" made the operation successful. The department gave a particular shout-out to Bo, who "performed well in the midst of severe weather" and was covered in snow by the end of the search.
Gastonia is a city of about 80,000 people approximately 20 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina.