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10-year-old Belfair boy found alive after overnight search in Mason County

The Belfair boy was missing around 24 hours and was found alive in the woods Tuesday afternoon. He's now being treated for exposure to the cold.

A 10-year-old boy was found safe after an overnight search in rural Mason County. The boy, named Thomas, was missing for around 24 hours and was taken to Harrison Medical Center to be examined for exposure to the cold. 

The boy went missing around 3 p.m. Monday after walking to his friend’s house in the 3200 block of Rasor Road W. in Belfair. 

The Mason County Sheriff's Office said his friend wasn't home, so Thomas left and was last seen in a wooded, rural area between Trails End Lake and Devereaux Lake.

Mason County Chief Criminal Deputy Ryan Spurling said Tuesday morning that investigators spoke with some of Thomas’ friends who said that he had made a plan to run away from home.

“The friends had provided him with some food, an orange and banana, apple, that type of stuff,” Spurling said. “We were able to locate the peels in a pumphouse.”

Spurling continued, "It’s pretty amazing with as many searches as we had out there, he’s avoided being found this long. It sounds like they were trying to keep him supplied, a little group of friends."

The Mason County Sheriff's Office said Thomas and two other children are now in the care of Child Protective Services. 

Anita Monk is Thomas' adoptive mother. She said he had a troubled past as a foster child and had begun misbehaving recently before his disappearance.

"I’m so happy that he’s safe," Monk said. "I can’t even thank everybody enough for all their effort. The whole community was out there all night long looking for him. It’s just amazing."

When she sees him, Monk said she just wants to "hug him and then probably tell him what I think of what he did. We’re gonna have a big talk."

The sheriff's office used ground teams, a FLIR helicopter, and canines to search for Thomas. The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and Thurston County Search and Rescue crews also helped with the search. More air support was brought in Tuesday morning to assist. 

Spurling said hypothermia was a concern due to the low temperatures Monday night.

“[Thomas] had a coat, but he wasn’t well supplied for this type of thing. At this point, I’m hoping he went to another friend’s house, maybe spent the night warm. I don’t know.”

Officials urged the public to avoid the search zone, so well-intending people wouldn't thwart official search efforts. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office asked the public to search sheds, porches, vehicles, and other buildings on their property for Thomas as he may have sought shelter Monday night.

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