After nearly 28 hours, a five-year-old boy who went missing from Frog Lake First Nation was found safe Tuesday evening.
Jager Cross-Memnook was last seen jumping on the trampoline at his home at around 2:30 p.m., Elk Point RCMP said.
RCMP said he was found alive, in good condition, at around 6 p.m. Tuesday, roughly four kilometres east of the lake in the woods. The boy was taken to hospital to be treated “for exposure to the elements.”
More than 100 volunteers — nine First Nations, five municipalities, several search and rescue groups — as well as ATVS, helicopters from the Edmonton Police Service and RCMP police dog services, spent Tuesday searching for him.
“It’s remote, a lot of trees, a lot of bushes, a lot of lease roads, some bodies of water — a lot of ways he could have gone,” said RCMP Staff Sgt. David Graham.
“Our number-one priority is trying to bring Jager home safely.”
Earlier Tuesday, Jager’s uncle Craig Memnook said everyone was trying to stay positive.
“With things like this, and the vast land we have to cover, the uncertainty is still there. But we try not to think that way as we all want to remain strong in this search until we get some definitive answers.”
Frog Lake First Nation is about 230 kilometres east of Edmonton.
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Frog Lake First Nation Chief Greg Desjarlais said he is relieved that Jager was found.
“We’re very grateful that we have a victory here at Frog Lake. What we wanted was a search and rescue and we got that,” Desjarlais told Global News.
“To find this boy, Jager Cross-Memnook, feels really good.”
Desjarlais also thanked everyone who contributed to the search and rescue effort.
“We’re thankful because without the group effort, without all the nations coming to help us, we couldn’t have done it,” he said.
“Hug your children … (Jager’s family) is thankful and want to express the love in their heart and want to share that with everybody.”
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