Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Thanks to the actions of a fast-acting Sweetwater County, Wyoming, sheriff's deputy K-9, a 4-year-old boy was reunited with his family after being missing for almost an hour.
The boy's mother reported him missing about 6 p.m. Sunday after he wandered from their yard in Rock Springs while playing with the family's dogs, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.
The mother told police her son's communication skills were limited. Police and sheriff's deputies then canvassed the area on foot and in vehicles looking for the boy.
About 25 minutes later, Deputy Sheriff Derek Morrell and his K-9 partner, deputy Jara, left the home to try and track the child. Soon after, Jara "forcefully" dragged Morrell down an alley behind the child's home and "adamantly alerted to a parked and locked vehicle in the alleyway," the press release states.
Morrell tried to secure the K-9, and while he did he briefly looked inside the car's window and saw the boy curled up on the driver-side floorboard.
Police located the car's owner and got the boy out of the car and, after precautionary medical evaluation, reunited him with his mother.
According to the news release, Jara is a 5-year-old female Belgian Malinois and has served since 2016. Morrell, a nine-year veteran of the office, is the team leader of the sheriff's K-9 program and works as a field training officer.
“Deputy Morrell’s and Deputy Jara’s actions may have very well saved this child’s life," wrote Sweetwater County Sheriff's Sgt. Matt Bartolotta in a letter commending the pair for their role in rescuing the boy. "Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Sweetwater County are lucky to have a duo like them.”
