Missing 3-Year-Old Recovered After Massive Search
By Justin Foss, Reporter
By
Michelle Long
Story Created:
May 13, 2008 at 10:58 PM CDT
Story Updated:
May 13, 2008 at 10:58 PM CDT
DELAWARE COUNTY - A family went through some tense moments Tuesday night at a park in Delaware County.
The sheriff's department got a call of a missing child at the Backbone State Park around 5-30. A massive search for two hours eventually located the boy, three year old Jonas Conner. Officials say he just wandered off.
Nearly 70 searchers came in to look for Conner. Authorities say this is one of the biggest search efforts they've had in a while here. They say they usually have about 12-15 searches a year.
A Delhi firefighter found him. "I came to a fence and I thought, there's no way he could have crossed that," said Sean Edaburn. "And I walked the fence line to make sure. I turned the corner and I saw him. He said he was just camping. I asked him if his name was Jonas. He stood up. I asked again, he started walking toward me and stopped."
Paramedics checked Jonas and he is doing alright. His family was visiting the park from Grinnell.
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Thursday, May 15 at 5:09 PM VaLynn wrote ...
Mom & Dad, that Jonas slipped away isn’t a reflection of your parenting, (do kids slip away only from “bad” parents? or “good” parents too?), but rather it’s a reflection of his curiosity and adventurous spirit – something to celebrate, aye? Hang in there!
Thursday, May 15 at 2:14 PM A Mother wrote ...
I am so tired of people blaming parents when something goes wrong!! People, come on! Chlidren are quite good at slipping away. Think about it, if you live in a bad neighberhood, do you always have on eye on you car at ALL TIMES. NO.... things happen and I am sure that the parents of this little boy have learned to be a little more watchful. Glad that the boy was safe and that people reacted to find the boy. Just think if these people just blamed the parents, the boy would never been found!!
Wednesday, May 14 at 11:18 PM mom wrote ...
Thank God this child was found safe and unharmed. For those of you who find fault in the parents, do not judge until you walk a mile in their shoes...and count your blessings nothing like this has happened to you YET.
Wednesday, May 14 at 10:05 PM good turnout wrote ...
I am glad the 3 year old got returned home safe, but to the people that are critizing about bad parenting, get a grip, things happen. Im not a mom but i work in a daycare, with 3 year old sometimes, and they will just escape when your not looking, even just for a minute! Again very happy the child was found unharmed.
Wednesday, May 14 at 8:33 PM Jerry Springer wrote ...
Kids wander and ALL people make mistakes. Happy the boy was found safe because thats the only thing that matters for all.
Wednesday, May 14 at 8:09 PM dont be quick to judge wrote ...
i know a mother of 3 and she had to learn the hard way. shes not SUPERMOM but she has a reason for knowing where her kids are at all times. she had to bury 2 of her 5 children do to someone elses mistake. that is why her 3 kids never leave her sight. u have to admit u dont realize how precious children are until they are ripped away from u. no parent deserves that! god bless the boys family and the rescuers that saved him
Wednesday, May 14 at 6:27 PM Jasmine wrote ...
Sean you are the man I wish you could rescue me sometime great work guys.
Wednesday, May 14 at 4:29 PM Dundee... wrote ...
I'm 16 years old and my dad is on the DFD and has been for about 10 years.. During those 10 years there have been a couple other searchings for missing kids and the list goes on.. It's something that happens, 3 year olds wounder everywhere.. I'm very proud of my dad and the guy from Delhi who found Jonas! With the great Fireman around and the great help from surrounding counties Jonas is home safe. Everyone needs to stop voicing their unnecessary comments about the "parenting"!
Wednesday, May 14 at 3:36 PM Mother of 2 wrote ...
My husband was with the rescue team and he could see and feel the agony that these parents indured during the time the child was missing. He said he could tell they were good parents. To those without children, you can not judge until you have your own children. It is hard to have an eye on an adventurous child all the time. I have one of these kids. Thank you to the rescuers and I am glad that the little guy is safe with his parents again.
Wednesday, May 14 at 3:18 PM Live in aunt of 3 year old wrote ...
I understand kids might wander off but why would you turn your back on a three year old to give him a chance to wander off? Thats why you don't give kids a choice but to hold your hand!!!!
Wednesday, May 14 at 1:40 PM Anonymous wrote ...
It just goes to show that it only takes a second for a child to disappear. As a mother myself I can tell you just how quickly it can happen, fortunately they did the right thing by calling for help. I'm so glad they found him, I can't imagine how scared his family must have been.
Wednesday, May 14 at 1:07 PM mike wrote ...
the people that dont have kids put down the parents but they have not a clue,kids will wander they want to see all as well as anybody i have 7 its not easy i only have two eyes i know how it is.
Wednesday, May 14 at 1:00 PM Mother wrote ...
I really think that people need to stop talking about others cause no one is perfect.
Wednesday, May 14 at 12:52 PM Anonymous wrote ...
Wow - it's nice to know that in this area we have some PERFECT people in this area. I didn't know perfect people existed. I am thankful that this precious boy is ok that it all worked out OK.
Wednesday, May 14 at 12:29 PM Valerie wrote ...
Ha ha, all of you who think that you know the whereabouts of your kids at all times, get a grip! I am a mother of a 3 yr. old & a 6 month old and I had a close encounter once when my child jerked his hand out of mine when we were ready to cross the street and he ran into the street & I was right there. So duh, get a grip on reality! If you really think you are that perfect now, wait until your kids are older and are our doing things behind your back. Then we'll see how perfect you are!
Wednesday, May 14 at 12:09 PM Mother of 3 and has gone thru this, without a happy ending. wrote ...
I am very happy for the family he was found safe, it is too bad that people are quick to judge when they do not know the circumstances. Little ones are quick and curious and do not always listen to their parents. Accidents happen and nobody is perfect, I don't care who you are. Good job to the team and god bless the family.
Wednesday, May 14 at 12:06 PM be more considerate wrote ...
To Mother of 3: you need to be more considerate of this family. I have 7 young children myself and everywhere we go, I have to count them all constantly to make sure they are all still there. Comments like yours aren't needed on thise site and those people don't need people like you telling them they are a bad parent because it could happen to anyone no matter how well you think you were watching them. It only takes a second of distraction for them to disappear out of your sight.
Wednesday, May 14 at 11:29 AM Mother of 18 wrote ...
It's really hard to keep track of all kids all the time. Mother of 3 needs to get to work in the bedroom so she knows what the real world is like.
Wednesday, May 14 at 10:13 AM mom wrote ...
well i'm glad to hear that the mother of 3 is a perfect parent
Wednesday, May 14 at 10:13 AM PrairieRobin wrote ...
I consider myself a very vigilant mother, but I also once "lost" my child. We were traveling from Seattle to DC in separate vehicles and stopped in Sheridan WY overnight. Upon leaving my husband thought she was with me and vice versa. We were horrified to find she was with neither of us. Luckily we hadn't left the hotel parking lot and she was located with an hour, wandering the building.
Wednesday, May 14 at 10:03 AM Anonymous wrote ...
Thank god they found him. Way to go search team. The parents need to pay better attention.
Wednesday, May 14 at 9:28 AM It can happen to the best of us wrote ...
Parents not paying attention? Come on, kids are adventurous, doesn't mean the parents were not watching him. Things happen, kids fall & break bones. Couldn't it be the mother & father were setting up for dinner? This story has a happy ending, don't start pointing fingers at the parents. AT least they took their child camping, instead of starting a video game for him...
Wednesday, May 14 at 9:09 AM Jen wrote ...
Thank God they found him!! I'm sure the parents were terrified of what could have happened. I'm sure from now on they will keep a much better eye on their little one. As for those who ridicule the parents. . . .everyone makes mistakes. Thank God this one didn't cause any harm to anyone.
Wednesday, May 14 at 9:07 AM der der der wrote ...
oh oh poor mommie and daddy no offence but how were you not watching that little boy i hope this teaches you that kids are capable of anything what would of happen if a child molester or cyot would have gotten him wise up kids are smart these days pay attention before you underestimate and it winds up worse then this
Wednesday, May 14 at 8:54 AM mother of 4 wrote ...
As a mother I know that kids can be very quite and quick when they sneak off. It only takes a second for them to disappear when you turn your back on them. Yes Thank God they found him unharmed, but as a real parent you know your kids can disappear in their own home when your not looking. Its easy to blame the parents, but we all make mistakes. God was watching Jonas and didn't let harm come to him. Thank you to the search team and the young man that found him. I am happy he is safe at home.
Wednesday, May 14 at 8:43 AM Malinda wrote ...
Some parents need to learn to pay better attention to their children. It only takes a minute for a child to drift from your sight. If something serious had happened whoever was suppose to be watching him would have carried the guilt with them for the rest of their life.
Wednesday, May 14 at 8:09 AM a mother herself wrote ...
This is to 'a mother of 3 and Jim" its great that you are super mom and ALWAYS know where your kids are but accidents happen thats why they are called accidents and this family probably just took their eyes off this kid for a moment. Give this family a break and I'm glad they found the little boy. I have been to Backbone Park many times and it would be very easy for a small one to wander off, there lots of great things to look at.
Wednesday, May 14 at 7:18 AM ... wrote ...
Jim, have you ever been to that park?? From what your message stated, I'm assuming you havent. Its not just a big open park where you can see everything.
Wednesday, May 14 at 7:11 AM mother of 6 wrote ...
Some of you are just wrong, do you really know how easy it is for a 3 y/o to wander off, you can turn your back for a min and turn back around and they are gone so you start looking and when you dont find them you panic, lil kids can get far in a short amount of time and if your looking in the wrong spot they can get even further, I am so happy that the lil boy was found safe I am sure his parents know how it could have turned out,and will think about it everyday, God bless his fam!
Wednesday, May 14 at 7:07 AM turtlemom wrote ...
To those of you who think you have the right to criticize the parents, keep in mind that NOBODY, even the supermom, is perfect. Unfortunately accidents do happen. Thank goodness that this ended happily!!!!
Wednesday, May 14 at 6:57 AM Jud wrote ...
First of all, good job of the volunteers. Second, it brings back memories - my family and another were camping there a numer of years ago. While the grown ups were setting up the campsite all the kids of various ages wanted to go explore. They were told to stay close by. Hours later they were found miles away. Thank goodness the older ones looked after the youngest. For years we heard about their experiences. They all had good memories of that trip. Parents did not.
Wednesday, May 14 at 3:34 AM Jim wrote ...
How does a 3 year old just wander off to the point that it takes a massive search to find him. Did the caretakers fall asleep, or was it a game of hide and seek gone bad?
Wednesday, May 14 at 1:16 AM Amber wrote ...
THANK GOD!! I can't imagine what that family went through during that search. We always hear bad stories about children, it is so nice to finally hear a good one. Kids think so differently than we do, and someday the family will be able to look back and laugh. Way to go search team!!!!!!
Wednesday, May 14 at 12:15 AM Anonymous wrote ...
Im so glad they found him. As a parent I can imagine how scary that was.
Wednesday, May 14 at 12:09 AM neighbor wrote ...
Thank you for running this story. He is our neighbor and we are so thankful for the update to know he is safe! Thank you too to all of the searchers for recovering Jonas!
Tuesday, May 13 at 11:32 PM mother of 3 wrote ...
why weren't they paying better attention to him. it could have turned out really bad but fortunatly it turned out good. i have 3 kids and i always know where they are at all times. hopefully the parents learned from this experience and will keep a better eye on there kid!
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