Three children went missing from a family campground near Colorado’s Midland Bike Trail on the morning of Sept. 26, and the search ended with a story worth telling. The kids, one 9-year-old and two 6-year-olds, wandered off with no warning. Relatives combed the area for two hours before calling the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office around 9 a.m., which brought in a helicopter, drones, and volunteer search and rescue teams.
Among the responders was canine deputy Archie, and he’s the reason this story has a happy ending. Archie picked up the children’s scent at the campground and led searchers into the woods. Foot teams moved in the same direction, climbed to higher ground, and spotted all three kids roughly a mile and a half from the campsite. They were unharmed and reunited with their family. Sheriff Andy Rohrich later said he would match his team, Archie included, against any in the state.
For those of us around Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties, the reminder lands close to home. We camp at Myakka River State Park and Oscar Scherer, walk the trails near the Celery Fields, and let kids run on beaches from Siesta Key to Englewood. It takes seconds for a child to slip out of sight, and everyone’s better off with a plan before the trip starts. Have you ever had a scare like this with your own family? Tell us in the comments.
