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Missing 8-Year Old Found After 6 Hours In Woods
November 7, 2010
An 8-year old boy missing for six hours in a heavily wooded area Sunday was found unharmed after a massive search.
Scores of volunteers spent hours searching for Harley Walker around a home on Rockin J Farm Road west of Century. Harley was reported missing to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office about 1:30 Sunday afternoon, but his mother says he was last seen about 11:00 Sunday morning, according to deputies.
Harley was found on the Alabama side of State Line Road by Sarah Killam (pictured left), a Northview High School senior, as she drove to church about sunset.
His mom, Suzanne Walker, ran down the a long driveway to meet the SUV that returned her son home. She grabbed Harley and held him in a long hug, tears flowing down her cheeks.
“Oh buddy you had me so scared,” she told him. “”I’m so glad you are home; I missed you so much.”
“I followed Molly and got lost,” Harley said, continuing to explain that he had followed Molly, a dog belonging to the Walker’s landlord, into the woods where he became lost. Eventually, Harley and Molly made their way to State Line Road where they were found.
“I was waving at the helicopter,” he said. He did not realize that the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office air unit was searching for him.
“I saw this little boy on the side of the road,” Killam said. “It was him, just standing their with his dog waving at the helicopter.”
Killam said she did not consider herself a hero. “It was all Jesus,” she proclaimed. “We had prayed that they would find him and find him before dark. That’s exactly what happened.”
Mom Suzanne Walker said her son would spend Sunday night in her room. “He will be right there with me,” she said.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia Search and Rescue, a K-9 unit from Century Correctional Institution and dozens of volunteers search the remote area for hours. The Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office helicopter and an ultralight aircraft from Escambia County, Alabama also took part in the search.
For more photos from the reunion of mom and son, and from the search, click here.
Pictured top: Harley Walker, 8, is reunited with his mother Suzanne Walker. Picture top inset: Walker thanks Sarah Killam (left) for finding her son.Pictured below and bottom inset: Escambia Search and Rescue begins a search for a missing 8-year old this afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
30 Responses to “Missing 8-Year Old Found After 6 Hours In Woods”
I agree with Mom of 2…let’s be thankful for the blessing of Harley being home safe, and not attack one another. Love you Suzanne, Dylan, and Harley!!!
It is very sad that in a time such as this there always has to be negative comments made… The boy got lost, was found by the grace of God, and was returned safely back into his mother’s arms. Instead of pointing fingers and looking for the negative things, for those of you who did, you should look at everything that happened here and thank God for his wonderful blessings.
>>>Maybe you should explain “The ECSO & ESAR” are not allowing volunteers instead of “No”
Perhaps. But in the midst of covering a breaking news story with live updates and typing responses on my Blackberry, it was an adequate and understood answer to the question. And it was also covered in the story during the time the search was going on to make the answer more obvious to those reading it at that time.
Maybe you should explain “The ECSO & ESAR” are not allowing volunteers instead of “No”. I got my impression from what you printed! Make a blanket statement like you did and get blood pressures up!!! & sorry,…. maybe I did over – react a little. Most of the time you do a very good job. And I am very aware of the excellent job ESAR does. Maybe in the future, dear sir, we can both have educated responses.
That is one of the most irresponsible attacks on me ever. Read the comments below. Someone asked, during the time period that the search was going on, if they needed volunteers.
I responded, from the search location:
“No. Search and rescue is in the woods. No volunteers are needed.”
I did not turn down volunteers. I answered the question that was asked. Volunteers were not needed at that point. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was not allowing ANYONE in the woods, not even the family, except for the prison’s K-9 and Escambia Search and Rescue. Anyone else in the woods would have destroyed any possible track for the dogs.
Exactly as I stated, volunteers were not needed. Volunteers would have been turned away by law enforcement before getting to the scene. It was an educated response that was correct per those in charge of the search.
I don’t know where you go the impression that I turned down volunteers. I did not. I passed along the info from the scene.
Before you jump to conclusions and threaten me, perhaps you should have read my comment again and known more about how Escambia Search and Rescue works and the excellent job they do.
Attn William: After all is said & done, thankfully the kid was found, but my question is this…..Who do you think you are or what gives you the right to turn down someone trying to help find this kid???? I have just now been made aware this occurred as I haven’t been on the puter in a few days, but let’s just suppose this had been your son. Better yet, suppose it had been mine….& you turn away volunteers????? I would be wanting to meet with you!!!! For at least 5 minutes……just enough time to kick your buttocks. Now PRINT that!!! Be ashamed William! You know better!
This is Harley’s mom and my fiance & I want to thank from the bottom of our hearts each and every person and dog that came out to search for our baby . We also would like to thank those who prayed most fervently for his safe return and we most of all thank the Lord for His guardian angels that were all around Harley & for bringing him home. We will forever be indebted to everyone who played a part. I have never been so terrified in my entire life and for 6 hours I tried to put myself in his shoes. “He has to be so scared” I kept thinking. I knew he had to be cold, tired and hungry as well and just wanting to be home. Harley is an adverturous ltl guy for sure but I don’t think his adventures are going to take him very far from our yard any time soon. For the person who asked why it took me two hours to call…I was @ the grocery store when he went out to play. His older brother was watching him and it was nothing out of the ordinary for Harley to go play so his brother didn’t think anything of it. Instead of him letting me know he had been gone too long without checking in, he waited on me to come home from the grocery store. I went out looking for him when I found out and called 911, this is why it was two hours. To the person who said he needs his own doggy…he has 3 of his own but ours don’t go to far from home. I will never be able to thank everyone enough for all that was done. I only hope that I can pay it forward if the time ever presents itself. I want to add that several things went wrong on Sunday and this has been a very terrifying learning experience for myself & my boys. It has also completely changed my life and I thank God that it ended the way it did and that I have my son back home.
My question is why did this mother take 2 hrs to call the police? Thank God, that someone did not take the child because if they had they would have really had a head start by the time the mother got around to calling for help.
Glad all has turned out well…but after all is said…he is a ..” WALKER “…he just walked a little too far this time…he will not forget…thats for sure. Be thankful and give GOD the glory
I have know Susanne and Harley for years. I did not know Harley had wondered off. Praise the Lord that Harley was found. God sent an Angel (Sarah) to find him.
The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much. James 5:16 Thanks be to God that the child was found safe and sound. I’m so glad I live in a part of the country where folks still know how to pray and still pull together when their neighbor is in trouble. My hat is off to all of the searchers and all of the churches that held prayer that the little one would be found.
GOD IS GOOD! Thanks to all who searched and prayed.
That must have been harrowing for all concerned.
It was getting cold out too.
Back in momma’s arms now….)
Thank God, and Sarah!!!!
what a little cutie pie and so glad he is allright. the dog did an amazing job of staying with the little guy to protect him…awesome story with a great ending.
WTG, Sara.
Harley, you need your own doggy.
Suzanne, thanking God that Harley was found! Sarah, glad you were at the right place at the right time! Coincidence? No way. God was in it all!
I am so very glad the little boy was found and returned safely to his mothers arms.
Thanks to all the volunteers and Law enforcement who searched .
Wow. I was really good friends with this family. I didn’t even no or i would have helped find him. LOVE you harley im glad ur home
THATS GOOD THEY FOUND HIM…….PRAYER CHANGES THINGS IM TELLING YOU…(-:
He is our neighbor and lives on our property. I am happy to say he was found safe and had my little dog keeping him company all along. He is doing well. We are very happy to have found him before dark set in. Thank you to all the volunteers and rescue teams who came out to help.
Good to hear that he was found safe! Also great job ESAR and all the crews that responded.
This is why we make our yearly donation to Escambia Search and Rescue each year. Hopefully I will never need them….but thank God that they are there when someone does…
Strongly encourage everyone to give what you can when they come around asking for donations… Even if it is a dollar…or just some change…EVERY penny helps.
GREAT JOB ESAR!!!! THANKS to both Sheriff’s departments and the K9 Unit.. and all volunteers
OH, thank goodness!
So thankful that God hears and answers prayer.
>DO they need volunteers to look William?
No. Search and rescue is in the woods. No volunteers are needed.
DO they need volunteers to look William?
Prayers!!
All I can say is, God please deliver this child safe and sound to his parents. Let him be safe in his own house tonight. Warm and away from danger. My heart is heavy and can only imagine the terror within the mother’s. I send prayer and will continue to pray for the safe return of this child.
how scary!!! I hope they find him soon.