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The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit located a missing child who was reported lost from an Obediah Triplett Road residence in Crawfordville on Tuesday, Oct. 4, according to Sheriff Donnie Crum. Sgt. Ronald Mitchell contacted the 4-year-old child’s mother on Wakulla Beach Road and began tracking the child with his K-9 partner Gunny. K-9 Gunny followed some visible tracks on the road before turning and tracking in a wooded area where no tracks were visible.
After Gunny continued tracking for a several more minutes, Sgt. Mitchell observed a small child running in the distance. He asked the child to stop and then asked if he would like to play with the dog. The child came closer to pet Gunny and Sgt. Mitchell loaded the child, who was not wearing any shoes, on his back while K-9 Gunny retraced his track out of the woods
The child was returned to the waiting mother and Gunny was rewarded for his tracking effort with his tug rope. Sgt. Mitchell estimated the total length of the track at approximately one mile. The case was reported at 6:14 p.m. and concluded at 7 p.m.
“We are grateful to have K-9 Gunny available to us and to have concluded the search before darkness fell,” said Undersheriff Maurice Langston. “Gunny did an outstanding job and has recovered well after a serious debilitating spinal injury. Kudos also go out to Dr. Norm Griggs of Shepherd Spring Animal Hospital for treating Gunny for his injury and helping him continue his duties as a deputy sheriff. We are very pleased that this case investigation had a happy ending.”
In a related matter, on Sept. 30, a concerned citizen contacted the sheriff’s office to report that she observed the same child walking down Obediah Triplett Road unattended. The concerned citizen secured the child until Deputy Clint Beam arrived on the scene. Deputy Beam searched and discovered the mother looking for the boy on the road. He was turned over to his mother uninjured and unharmed.
