The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department is conducting a massive search for an Oregon toddler who was reported missing on Saturday afternoon.
At a news conference Tuesday, authorities said they are now focusing their search for 2-year-old Dane Paulsen along the Siletz River near his home, citing evidence that the toddler was at the river’s edge prior to his disappearance.
The boy was reported missing around 4:25 p.m. Saturday and was last seen playing in the front yard of his family’s Siletz, Oregon, home, “out of sight of his parents,” according to a sheriff’s department statement released on Sunday.
By the end of the day on Tuesday, authorities had searched 682 acres and 341 miles, but Paulsen had yet to be found, they said.
“We know this is a difficult time for Dane’s family, and we are doing everything we can to bring him home,” Lincoln County Sheriff Adam Shanks said during a press conference Tuesday evening.
Officials have thoroughly investigated the area surrounding Paulsen’s home and will now focus on the Siletz River, according to Lincoln County Sergeant Jason Spano. Divers have searched at least two miles of the river, but Shanks stated, “We are not finished.”
On Sunday and Monday, search and rescue teams totaling 88 members, 40 investigators, four aerial drones, multiple human trailing dogs, and 140 community volunteers searched for Paulsen, according to authorities.
Drones, divers, canines, and sign cutters will continue to patrol the Siletz River, Spano stated on Tuesday.
The Lincoln County Major Crime Team and FBI are also assisting with the investigation and any new leads, according to authorities. The FBI’s Victim Service Division is also assisting Paulsen’s family, according to officials. As of Tuesday, the sheriff’s department had investigated at least 195 tips.
Previously, authorities were looking for a man in a station wagon who had been seen in the area about 30 minutes before Paulsen’s disappearance, but they later found both the driver and the vehicle, which are “no longer a point of interest.” Authorities now state that there is no evidence of an abduction or criminal activity.
At this time, “Dane’s disappearance does not meet the criteria to use the Amber Alert system,” the sheriff’s department previously stated.
The child is “friendly and fearless, and is comfortable around strangers and water, but cannot swim” and is “known to love water and vehicles,” according to authorities.
Paulsen has brown hair and green eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray, fuzzy hoodie with ears, black pants, and blue-and-white shoes, according to the sheriff’s department.
According to officials, community members can report any relevant information about Paulsen’s disappearance by calling 541-265-0669.
The sheriff’s department stated that further updates on the situation will be provided via social media.