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K-9 locates missing toddler

By Richard Gould | Hickory Daily Record

Published: November 21, 2008

HICKORY - Friday afternoon, a 13-month-old child went missing during a visit to Hickory Dickory Dock.

Hickory Police Capt. Thurman Whisnant said the call came in about a missing child at about 1:30 p.m. and approximately 12 officers responded to the scene.

Shortly after arriving on the scene, Hickory K9 officer Lance Bean and his partner Starko tracked the child down behind the building. Whisnant said the child was only outside for about 20 minutes and he was examined by EMS workers who determined he was upset but in good condition and did not have hypothermia.

Hickory Dickory Dock general manager Eddie Mitchell said he was near the front of the establishment when a woman came running and screaming. "She was hysterical that her child had disappeared," he said.

The staff is trained to follow certain procedures when a child goes missing. The games are shut down and staff guard the doors so no one can enter or leave the premises as the remainder of the staff search the establishment for the child.

When they failed to locate the boy, Mitchell called the HPD for help.

"We're very aware of security," said Mitchell. "We have security cameras all over the place."

Whisnant examined the footage from Hickory Dickory Dock's video surveillance footage and said there was no foul play. The child simply wandered away from his mother while she was talking to a friend who had brought her own children to Hickory Dickory Dock.

The child was able to get out of the establishment because he walked through the automatic sliding doors that were installed in May, said Mitchell.

"He was very mobile for a 13-month-old child," said Whisnant.

After the child was found and reunited with his mother, Mitchell said he called Hickory police Sgt. Keith Yoder to arrange for an officer to inspect his facility and advise him how to amend his security precautions to ensure children's safety while at Hickory Dickory Dock.

Mitchell said the child was just inquisitive and eager to explore.

"He was looking for some adventure, I suppose," said Mitchell. "He's a little blonde guy and he just wanted to have fun."