Missing 4-year-old Southern California boy rescued after spending night in wilderness

A missing 4-year-old boy from Torrance was found safe after spending the night in the wilderness Friday.

The boy, Christian Ramirez, was on a camping trip with his family at the Rancheria Campground at Huntington Lake, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

Shortly before 11 a.m. on Thursday, the boy went missing. The family had searched the area for about an hour before they called authorities for help.

Over 50 rescue crew members, deputies and volunteers headed to the campground and began searching for the boy into the night, however, there were no signs of him.

By 8 a.m. the next morning, members of the Tulare County Search and Rescue Team located the boy about a quarter mile away from where he reportedly disappeared. He was found nestled under a tree.

Authorities said the boy was tired and hungry, but was found in good condition. He had spent around 22 hours by himself in an area officials said is populated with dangerous wildlife and difficult terrain.

Video of the rescue showed the boy being carried out of the wilderness to safety. He had been wearing only a t-shirt and shorts and was given a sandwich before he was eventually reunited with his worried parents.

It’s unclear how the boy was initially separated from his family, however, authorities are urging campers to be prepared when heading out into the wilderness and to keep a close eye on children, pets and family members.

Huntington Lake is located about 300 miles north of Los Angeles County in the Central Valley area.

Footage of the boy’s rescue can be seen in the video player above.

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