- A 12-year-old Oklahoma boy was found safe after being missing nine days.
- Volunteers from United Cajun Navy discovered him in Caddo County on Jan. 11.
- The boy's parents remain jailed on child abuse complaints; he's in state custody.
CHICKASHA, Okla. — Volunteers with a Texas nonprofit organization found the 12-year-old Oklahoma boy at the center of a "suspicious disappearance" after he was reported missing on Jan. 2.
On Sunday, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced that Ryan "RJ" Davis had been found and was safe after he had been missing for nine days. Davis was shaken and terrified when he was found in Caddo County.
The news that the boy had been found sent a wave of relief through Chickasha. OSBI officials said Davis was found inside a shelter of sorts near Cement, not far from where he lived with his parents.
After being found, Davis was taken to the Quality Inn in Chickasha, which is where he was last spotted before his disappearance on Jan. 2. Community members applauded his departure to an area hospital while first responders covered him with a sheet.
Davis came forward with his hands up to Luke van Ryn and Thomas Gentile, who are with the United Cajun Navy, on Sunday.
"He was apologetic, terrified, super scared, like he was gonna be in trouble," Gentile said. "We reassured him this wasn't his fault. He's safe, and we gave him a big hug."
"We had to get a tissue. I had to wipe his tears," van Ryn added.
The two drove up from Texas as volunteers with the United Cajun Navy, a nonprofit dedicated to life-saving rescue operations and humanitarian assistance. Being fathers, they say the mission hit home.
"To say we're excited is an understatement," Shaun Schraeder, the incident commander with the United Cajun Navy, said. "We've been on plenty of these where it's the other way. So, when you get to bring one home, it's pretty rewarding. It's quite the high."
Chickasha Police Chief Goebel Music got emotional when talking about the community effort – online and on the ground – that went into getting Davis to safety.
"Our community, regardless of socioeconomics, regardless of race, creed, regardless, came together because a 12-year-old needed help. And that's important," Music said. "I've never seen nor ever heard of these three men. Somebody somewhere contacted them somehow. They came and aided our community. That's what's important. It means a lot."
OSBI officials said Davis is doing well. He will be in state custody, and the agency said they will work to ensure the 12-year-old boy won't return to the property or his parents, who remain in jail on multiple child abuse complaints.
