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IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – Searchers on horseback spent Monday looking for a toddler who has been missing in the mountains of Central Idaho since Friday, according to the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office.
In a sit-down interview with East Idaho News, Jessica Mitchell and DeOrr Kunz Sr. said they have faith DeOrr Kunz Jr. is safe, but hope whoever took him will bring him home.
“If somebody has him please don’t hurt him,” Mitchell said. “Just bring him home safely where he belongs.”
The family is based in Idaho Falls. They traveled to the Timber Creek Reservoir for a camping trip last week.
Kunz Sr. says the toddler was last seen with his grandfather around 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon.
“Just in a split second, your whole world is upside down and vanished,” he said.
Family members spent about 20 minutes looking for Kunz Jr. before calling 911 and search and rescue crews were brought in.
More than 100 people have combed through the area where the boy was last seen. That includes grid searches on foot, supported by people on horseback and riding ATVs.
Divers were also called in to search a small creek near the family’s campsite.
“They assured me there is 100 percent no chance that he is in that water, around that water,” said Kunz Sr.
DeOrr Kunz Sr. says a large-scale search for little DeOrr was suspended because no one has found any trace of the boy.
He believes his son isn’t on the mountain anymore.
“There’s a possibility that he may be with somebody and that’s what is giving us hope,” said Kunz Sr. “It’s a bad thing that he would be not with us right now, but it also means there’s a good chance that he is alive and with somebody.”
The Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office hasn’t commented on that possibility and no AMBER Alert has been issued for the 2-year-old.
But his parents say they’re not giving up.
“Hope is what keeps it going. The search is not over. It’s not done. We will find him,” said Kunz Sr.
“We’ll continue to look until he’s found,” added Mitchell.
DeOrr Kunz Sr. also wants his son to know he hasn’t been forgotten.
“We will find you and we love you more than anything in the world,” he said.
Kunz Sr. and Mitchell told East Idaho News they’re not sure who would take DeOrr Jr.
They added that during this tough time, support from family, friends and complete strangers who have reached out to help and pray for their son is what’s keeping them going.
Agencies/Canadajournal
