3-year-old boy, missing for 4 days, is found alive

PLANTERSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A 3-year-old Texas boy who was missing for four days was found alive in a wooded area Saturday and seemed to be in good health, authorities said.

Christopher Ramirez was found following a tip from a citizen and was being taken to a hospital for evaluation, according to Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell. It’s not yet clear how the child survived after he wandered off while playing with a family dog in the yard of his family’s home in southeastern Texas.

“He’s drinking lots of water, but he’s good,” Sowell said. “He’s alive, laughing, cutting up, crying. His mom is crying. He’s in good shape.”

The child disappeared Wednesday afternoon from his yard near Plantersville, about 60 miles northwest of Houston. He was found not far from where authorities had been searching, Sowell said.

“Hardly no clues to go on, we were running on prayers, four-wheel drive and overdrive, to be honest with you, because we had nothing else,” Sowell said. “We had nothing else.”