Authorities reported that a 2-year-old boy from Oregon went missing from his family’s front yard during daylight hours on Saturday, leading to an extensive search.
The child, Dane Paulsen, was last seen shortly before 4:30 p.m. while playing beyond his parents’ view in the front yard of their residence located north of Siletz, a small town near the Siletz River. This information was disclosed by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in a news bulletin released on Sunday.
“Dane, who is fond of water and vehicles, is sociable and unafraid. He feels at ease around strangers and bodies of water, although he cannot swim,” stated the sheriff’s office.
Hundreds of people have joined the search, including certified search and rescuers, a Sheriff’s posse and community volunteers. In the initial 24 hours of Dane’s disappearance, the sheriff’s office said the teams covered nearly 300 miles, but so far have yet to find any signs of the child.
The sheriff’s office said Dane’s disappearance does not meet the criteria for using the Amber Alert system at this time, and there is no evidence to suggest criminal actions are involved.
Investigators ruled out an unknown vehicle that was seen near a bridge close to the family’s home about 30 minutes before Dane disappeared. The sheriff’s office said the vehicle and its driver were located and were “no longer a point of interest.”
Authorities asked anyone with information about Dane’s disappearance to contact their Tip Line at 541-265-0669.
