Missing toddler rescued after night alone in Padawan jungle
KUCHING: A toddler who went missing overnight after wandering off from his family’s home in Kampung Serumah, Teng Bukap, Padawan was found safe and unharmed yesterday morning.
Alvincent Amy, aged two years and 10 months, had been playing in the compound of his house when he was discovered missing by his mother around 5pm on Wednesday.
After an initial search by villagers failed to locate the toddler, an official report was made around 9.25pm, leading to the launch of a search-and-rescue operation by the Fire and Rescue Department ( Bomba).
Bomba Sarawak assistant operations director Tiong Ling Hii said the rescue team, which included police, Rela members, villagers and a police canine unit, focused their initial search at a farm belonging to the boy’s grandmother after his footprints were found in the mud leading there.
“We concentrated the search effort at the farm – located about 2km from the house – as it was the grandmother’s daily routine to bring the child along with her whenever she went farming,” he said, adding the toddler was described by his family as ‘hyperactive’.
Despite their best efforts, rescuers were unable to locate Alvincent and postponed their search at 2.30am yesterday, before resuming it at 8am.
The family’s ordeal came to a happy end when villagers stumbled upon the boy in the jungle some 2.5km away from his home.
According to Tiong, the child appeared weak but was otherwise unharmed despite having spent the night in the jungle alone.
“The Bomba emergency medical response services team attended to the boy after he was rescued prior to sending him to the Teng Bukap clinic for a checkup.
“Everyone involved in the search-and-rescue operation was overjoyed that he was found safe and returned to his family,” added Tiong.