Sheriff’s Copter Crew Finds Boy Who Wandered From Campsite
A 5-year-old West Covina boy who was missing in the wilderness near Big Bear Lake was found safe Sunday morning, a day after wandering away from his family’s campsite, authorities said.
A sheriff’s helicopter crew spotted Marcelino Sanchez about 9 a.m. waving from a clearing two miles from where his family was camped near Holcomb Valley, said San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokesman Chip Patterson.
“He said he was thirsty and hungry. But for a few mosquito bites, he was fine,” Patterson said.
More than 100 people scoured the rugged terrain, many of them searching through Saturday night as authorities worried about the boy’s chances of surviving in an area that is home to bears, rattlesnakes and dangerous slopes.
Temperatures dipped to the upper 30s Saturday night, Patterson said, adding urgency to the search for Marcelino, who was wearing only jeans, a sweater and sandals. But the boy did not require medical treatment.
“He said he crawled under a rock last night and got some sleep,” Patterson said.
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