Found Safe KY - Kenneth Howard, 22mths, Salyersville, 12 May 2019

Hi, everyone. This is my first post. I live about 40 minutes from where this baby went missing from. It has rocked my world, basically. Eastern Ky is a community, not just different counties and cities. Everyone in the area is horrified.
The hills here are rough for an adult to navigate, let alone a baby. We've had issues with coyotes here, lately, and one of the things we've worried about was coyotes getting him. But, there's no evidence that would point to that at this point.
I have heard the possibility of a kidnapping, but nothing verified yet.

 

From your link:

Howard's mother was taken to the hospital Tuesday where she was treated for dehydration. She is back at home resting. Kenneth's father has offered a $5,000 reward for the boy's safe return.

 

KY has a huge coyote problem, some are huge, some are aggressive, some curious, some not. They are all dif’. I’ve encountered some that tend to not be on the meek side, usually when they are running in a pack, I wondered about coyote too.
Anyone know if the family owns a dog? Most country folk do.

 

I saw a dog house in one of the videos but IIRC the grass wasn't worn down to dirt in a circle like you normally see when a dog is tied to it.

 

If K died as a result of an accident, I can think of no reason this couple would not have called 911, especially since the dad is quite well known to locals. Moo

 

Growing up in a small community, the fire dept was usually who we turned to first. They are our friends, neighbours and kin folks. They are volunteers, raise their own money, pay for the fire trucks, and the building, training and gas. Most always someone's at the fire station, its the mens folks hang out. They know the area/lay of the land, the family dynamics, and all the local gossip.

In rural communities LE response time can be an hour or more. When LE staff is limited the supervisor usually make the call on the order and severity for dispatch. Our county has 3 officers on duty from 7pm til 7am, and it takes 45 mins from one side of county to the other to drive. A severe accident can take hours to clean up and investigate. When I've called, they may say ....hey, we have several emergencies, it maybe 2 to 3 hours before we have an officer available. We learn to rely on neighbors, friends, etc.,

 

I thought about wild animals, too. Usually we look to the sky for buzzards or hawks, when something is dead or missing.

 

WELCOME! Thank you for your local insight, it helps.

 

I’m having a real hard time with this. He’s there one minute and gone the next! Seriously he’s 22 months old. He can’t get that far. Not if you went looking for him right away. I would think he would be scared if he lost sight of his parents. Kids that age like to wander yes, but they also are like little shadows following you around. I see him standing there crying until someone found him. Moo of course

 

I heard dogs barking in the background of the interview with Kenneth’s mother but not sure if those were maybe search dogs?

JMO

 

I didn't realize the fire department had been called, that was a lazy mistake on my part and I am sorry about that. That does, however, make me question how he could just disappear in that terrain with so many people looking and listening. Kids that age generally are not "on a mission" in the woods, but wandering around, falling, looking at things. Someone should have heard him crying? I wonder if he did cry and then fell asleep.

Is it true that dogs are not picking up a scent leading from the house?

 

Welcome to WS!!
Wish it were under different circumstances.

I live in a small community and know how this can rock the area. I also, know that folks will come out in full force to do everything humanly possible to find this child.

Recently we had a HS kid, mad at his parent leave school and disappear. Word went our on our FB group and within minutes folks were saying where they saw him. Within a short time, locals had dogs out tracking, 2 locals with drones, and every neighbor trying to be one step ahead of him. He was retrieved before the sheriff office could take the report.

We move fast and swift in small communities, have learned to survive by relying on each other. Its devastating when something like this happens, everyone's affected.

 

I wonder if there’s confusion about how long he was gone before they realized he was in fact missing. Still, how far could he go barefoot or wearing sandals, on such rough terrain? Not far, imo.
I just drooled something off at a friend, she has her 20 mo grandson. When she opened the door & stepped out, he also toddled out. Immediately he noticed a caterpillar & plopped down. That held his attention until I got ready to leave (5 minutes) he then started down the patio seps & found bird poop that needed to be investigated. I was thinking it would take him a month of Sunday’s to get off the patio, lol. He’s a bright, happy kid, completely normal.....but in no hurry to go anywhere, too much to explore.

 

Looking at images do any of you see a way an atv/side by side vehicle could enter the property from the back?

 

Just a few months ago, in NC, I don't remember the name, a boy walked off from his yard, again in very rural area.
The dogs picked up no scent, and LE, EMS, dogs searched for days, in the bitter cold and freezing rain. He was found, said a bear kept him company, in a patch of brairs, trapped. He had walked in a circle the whole time.

Lets all keep up hope!!!!!

One minute I think he's lost in the woods and the next I lean to abduction.....

 

Thanks for the informative comment. It is always helpful and good to have comments from people in the area. We're still cautiously optimistic, but every minute is a worry for everyone. I can't imagine how all of you folks there are feeling and concerned about that sweet son and his frantic parents and family. A close community is such a help in times like this.

Welcome to Websleuths,
PersephoneZea !!​

 

At least KY is enjoying a perfect weather day for searching!
Little sunshine & a gentle breeze, cool temps.....easy on dogs!

 

I personally don't think its very likely, It would have been difficult imo its a pretty steep incline and I think family would have heard the commotion of a side by side navigating through that area JMO

 

BBM
Since a lot of people had already been searching before they called LE, they may not, if they used tracking dogs. Nose to ground. From what I gather they need an undisturbed trail. Going out as far as they did to find one, and didn't, they may just not have hit upon the right path, or the trail had been too disturbed by the earlier friend and family searches. Maybe they need, but didn't have, air-scent dogs.

 

Welcome to Websleuths,
Future Mrs Clint Eastwood !!​