Search continues for missing 5-year-old Fruitland boy

FRUITLAND (AP) — Police in a rural western Idaho town continued to search Wednesday for a 5-year-old boy who has been missing since Tuesday evening.

Fruitland Police Chief JD Huff said search crews from several law enforcement agencies are looking row-by-row through cornfields and searching through ditches and canals for the child.

Michael Joseph Vaughn was last seen on foot near his Fruitland home at about 6:30 p.m. Police responded around 7:30 p.m. after hearing a report that the boy was missing.

Local residents joined police, fire crews and paramedics to search for the boy, aided by helicopters and a trained search dog. Despite the large search, the boy had not yet been found by Wednesday afternoon.

Huff thanked the public for their help but asked them to stay out of the area while professionals continue to search. Police also asked people in the region to check their security cameras for any helpful footage.

Vaughn is described as 43 inches tall and around 50 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. The Fruitland Police Department said he responds to the nickname, “Monkey.”