A father has come forward to share his feelings after the tragic discovery of his five-year-old son’s body, following the child being reported missing while his mother was taking a nap.
On November 9, in Oregon, Joshua James McCoy and his mother decided to take a nap at 1 pm. When the mother woke up at 5:30 pm, she realized her son was missing.
Joshua, who had autism, was subsequently reported missing at 6:27 pm that evening by the Coos County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities learned that Joshua had a cell phone with him, but it failed to provide any clues in their efforts to locate him.
The search intensified on Sunday, November 10, with deputies searching the property where Joshua and his mother had napped.
The search included a thorough examination of the surroundings with the help of Coos County Search and Rescue volunteers, K9 units, and both ground and drone operators.
A pond nearby was drained, and additional support came from members of local fire departments.
Tragically, on Wednesday, November 13, Joshua’s body was found around 1.6 miles from his residence.
The sheriff’s office released a statement saying, “The areas that have been searched have been very thorough and methodical due to the circumstances behind the disappearance.”
Support from the community has been substantial, providing meals for volunteers. Agencies such as Homeland Security, FBI, OSP, NCMEC, and various police and fire departments were thanked for their assistance in the search.
Joshua’s father is now speaking out as officials have yet to determine the cause of death.
“I want the truth, plain and simple,” Lawson Amos McCoy told The Oregonian. “I don’t care about anything else. My baby’s gone.”
The Oregonian reports that McCoy had not seen his son for about a year after relocating to Ohio.
He recounted how he met Joshua’s mother in Utah, and after they had a child, they moved to Coos County for her nursing job.
McCoy, who receives benefits due to a disability from his military service in the Air Force, took care of his son while his girlfriend worked, prior to moving to Ohio.
Joshua McCoy, the father’s brother, mentioned that his brother now feels responsible for the tragic incident.
“He thinks it’s all his fault, just because he left JJ,” Joshua said.