CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — A Colorado K-9 is being credited with locating three missing children in the Colorado wilderness Saturday afternoon.
Three children were found safe Saturday afternoon after wandering about 1.5 miles from their family’s campsite east of Buena Vista, according to the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were dispatched around 11 a.m. Sept. 26 to the Midland Bike Trail for a report of three missing children. The area is east of Buena Vista. Two 6-year-olds and a 9-year-old were reported missing. The children were part of a large family group from the Denver area that was camping nearby. Family members noticed around 9 a.m. that the children had wandered away. They searched for about two hours before contacting law enforcement.
Chaffee County Search and Rescue was called in to assist. Multiple drones and a helicopter were deployed, along with several foot teams conducting grid searches. Sheriff’s Office K-9 deputy Archie, known as “Arch,” was also deployed.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Arch quickly picked up a scent from the campsite and led searchers into the wilderness in the direction the children had traveled. Search and rescue teams followed the same direction and eventually spotted the children from higher ground. The children were found around 2 p.m. and were not injured.
Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich praised the search teams and volunteers for their response.
“The teams worked amazingly quick and effective to bring these kids back to their worried families,” Rohrich said in a social media post. “I can only imagine the panic they must have felt.”
Rohrich also credited the county’s search and rescue volunteers and Arch for helping locate the children.
“We are so fortunate in Chaffee County to have such a highly trained and dedicated search and rescue team of volunteers for these terrifying moments,” Rohrich said. “Now adding our buddy Arch to the team, as a tool, I would match this team against any other in the state. I am very proud of them all.”
Right to Hunt and Fish? Amendment 83
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