Recovery efforts continue for missing boy, volunteers urged to use caution: OPP

Provincial Police say recovery efforts are continuing this weekend for a young boy that was swept into the Grand River near Orangeville.

Dufferin OPP say it happened Wednesday in Waldemar, as a minivan went around a road closure sign, drove into some water, and was swept into the river by the strong current.

A woman was carrying a child in her arms when she exited the vehicle, but the boy slipped from her grip and ended up in the water.

The search for three-year-old Kaden Young has now been deemed a recovery mission.

Constable Paul Nancekivell says over 200 volunteers are assisting with the search Saturday.

He says he appreciates everyone coming out to help, but they want to make sure people are staying safe.

“We want people to stay out of the water, and stay on the shoreline. The shoreline has changed quite a bit due to flooding, and some is very unstable. We want people to careful.”

Nancekivell says their OPP helicopter, dive team, canine unit, and emergency response team are all on scene searching the area.

“The chopper is up flying over Belwood Lake and Waldemar – it’s flying down low to see if the child is visible, so it can swoop down and capture him.”

Nancekivell says they’ll continue to search through to Monday, and will then re-evaluate the recovery mission.

“We’ll then determine what resources we’ll bring back to search the next day. We’ve searched the whole area from Belwood Lake to where the vehicle went in – now because the water levels are changing, we’re re-searching areas a second time to see what we can find.”

Nancekivell adds that inclement weather could also affect the search.

“The forescast for this area Saturday night is freezing rain, and we have fog Sunday morning – so we’re concerned that could cause more challenges as we try to find this child.”

He adds this is already a tragic situation, and they’re hoping this safety message reminds volunteers to exercise extreme caution during the search.