A South Bay family is expressing their gratitude to search and rescue teams in Central California after they successfully found a 4-year-old boy who went missing while on a camping trip.
Cristian Ramirez is back with his parents safely after being separated from them while camping near Huntington Lake, according to his parents and the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. The young boy was missing for nearly a day and with the tenacious search from about 50 deputies and volunteers, he was thankfully found.
“We didn't let our search teams come in last night,” said Lt. Brandon Purcell of the Fresno County sheriff’s office. “They stayed out all night long searching.”
At about 8 a.m. Friday, the Tulare County Search and Rescue Team found the child about a quarter mile away from where he was reported missing. Officials described him as being in good condition, but “just tired and hungry,” upon his discovery.
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“He went missing about 10 o'clock yesterday morning and we got a call closer to 11,” Purcell said. “Our search started then and then we deployed our search and rescue personnel. So, since 11 o'clock yesterday morning, we've been searching and we haven't stopped.”
According to Purcell, Ramirez was found nestled under a tree.
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“He was out in the woods. He was in a very thick wooded area and he was out there all night,” Purcell said. “As far as the overnight stuff, we are going to have to spend some time with the kid. The kid is really shaken up today.”
In a statement to NBC4, the boy’s parents said they were extremely relieved their child was safe and credited his safety to the dedicated team that found him.
“We are so grateful to the Fresno (search and rescue) team and the Fresno Sheriff’s department for their hard work in finding our little boy,” Cristian’s parents said. “They worked tirelessly to bring him home safely. Cristian is happy, hungry and is in great spirits. Thank you to everyone for your prayers, and most of all we are so blessed to serve a God that works miracles.”
Further speaking with NBC4, Cristian's father, Renato Ramirez, likened the safe return of his child to a miracle and continued to express his gratitude to the teams that found his boy.
"We are just very grateful to the Tulare and Fresno County search and rescue teams and to the Fresno County sheriffs for really all the support and effort," he said. "They worked extremely hard through the night and through tough terrain."
