A 4-year-old boy from California wandered away from a campground in the Sierra National Forest and was found safe after spending 22 hours alone in the wilderness.
About 50 officers and volunteers started searching around 11 a.m. on Thursday after the boy was reported missing from the campsite, which is in a dense forest north of Fresno.
The boy, from Torrance near Los Angeles, was last seen wearing shorts and a T-shirt, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 8 a.m. on Friday, the boy was found in good condition “nestled under a tree” near a lake about a quarter mile from the Rancheria Campground where his family was staying.
“He was hungry and exhausted, but otherwise in good health. We got him a sandwich and then carried him out to be reunited with Mom and Dad,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
Officials said the boy had simply wandered away and lost his sense of direction.
The sheriff’s office thanked the public for volunteering, spreading the word on social media, and sending prayers.
“All of this undoubtedly helped to bring him home safely,” the department said.