Yahoo News Missing Two-Year-Old Found Safe After 500 Volunteers Mobilize for Mass Search
A missing two-year-old boy from Brooksville, Florida, was found safe on Friday, February 24, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
The search began for Joshua “JJ” Rowland on Thursday evening, shortly before sundown, local news reported.
According to Sheriff Al Nienhuis, close to 100 law enforcement officials and 500 volunteers travelled to the area to assist with the search.
This footage features a recording of the 911 call moments after JJ was found safely by volunteer Roy Link. JJ can be heard saying “Hi mommy” in the clip, as Link brings the toddler to safety.
The Sheriff said JJ is now being cared for by parademics after spending the night outdoors in the woods. Credit: Hernando County Sheriff’s Office via Storyful
Video transcript
- 911, what's the address of your emergency?
ROY LINK: Hey, I found him.
JJ ROWLAND: Hi, Mom.
- You found him?
ROY LINK: Yeah.
- All right. Where are you at?
JJ ROWLAND: [INAUDIBLE] Mommy.
ROY LINK: I'm walking over here to a field, an open field. All right.
- OK.
JJ ROWLAND: Mommy. [INAUDIBLE] Mommy.
- OK.
ROY LINK: [INAUDIBLE]
- OK, just give me one moment. Stay on the line with me.
ROY LINK: OK.
- What is your name?
ROY LINK: [MUTED]
- What's a good phone number for you?
ROY LINK: [MUTED]
- And you said you're in a field?
ROY LINK: Excuse me?
- You said you're in a field.
ROY LINK: Yes, I'm walking out to it now. This guy might have a-- Hey, I found him! Yeah.
- OK.
ROY LINK: I'm on here with 911. Do you know where we're at?
- How is he doing? Is he--
JJ ROWLAND: Mommy.
ROY LINK: Right next to where?
JJ ROWLAND: Mommy.
- [INAUDIBLE]
ROY LINK: OK.
- [INAUDIBLE] next to Parrott Middle School, there's a--
ROY LINK: We're next to [INAUDIBLE] Middle School next to the road in this field.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
- Oh, yeah.
- How is he doing?
- Get a drink.
ROY LINK: He's good.
- He's doing good? OK.
ROY LINK: Yeah, he's alive. He's well, yeah.
JJ ROWLAND: Mommy.
ROY LINK: They're giving him some water, and he's wanting Mama.
- Would you like some more water?
- OK.
JJ ROWLAND: No.
- No? Here, let's walk up to the road. We got him here. Good job, buddy.
- Hey, just stay on the line with me, OK? We're trying to get deputies out to you.
- Were you scared last night?
JJ ROWLAND: No.
- No?
JJ ROWLAND: Mommy.
- Your mommy's coming.
- Can you stay where you're at, just so we can get units to you?
ROY LINK: OK, sure.
- Stay where you are.
- [INAUDIBLE]. There's people everywhere--
- Just stay on the line.
- --looking for you.
- [INAUDIBLE]
- Yeah, he's on the phone now.
- Oh, my goodness!
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
- Oh, my god! [INAUDIBLE]. Oh, my god. Are you OK, baby?
JJ ROWLAND: Yeah.
- I'm sorry.
- It's OK.
- [INAUDIBLE]
- [INAUDIBLE] talk to [INAUDIBLE].
- Oh, my god!
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
- Hello, ma'am.
- [INAUDIBLE]
ROY LINK: Hello?
- I'm still here.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
ROY LINK: Yes, we're walking toward Cobb Road. We're behind-- we're beside the school, Parrott Middle School.
- OK. So you're walking toward Cobb by the middle school?
ROY LINK: We're walking towards Cobb in the big field right beside Parrott Middle School. They'll know where it's at. Yes, sir.
- Oh, my god!
ROY LINK: We just gave him some water. And--
- I have some water for you.
ROY LINK: He's a little-- little panicked. I gave him some water.
- OK.
ROY LINK: Yeah. Yes, sir. I figured this was where he was going to be. Because this is an area right behind his house.
- OK.
ROY LINK: Now, they're coming. They're coming right here. Hey, they want us to walk down here to Cobb. They want us to walk to Cobb right there.
- If you want, I can take him onto Cobb. We can take him faster.
ROY LINK: All right, yeah.
- I can drive [INAUDIBLE] drive him.
- You can hold [INAUDIBLE].
ROY LINK: That's all right. We can--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
ROY LINK: --just walk in the shade up here. That way he don't get-- we don't want him to get panicked. I'd get in the shade. You still there, sir?
- Yeah, I'm still here. How many people are there with you?
ROY LINK: Oh, about 15.
- And how far away from Cobb are you?
ROY LINK: Probably 100 yards.
- OK.
- Yeah, yeah.
ROY LINK: 100 yards. Yeah, we're probably 100 yards from the highway. We can see the--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
- OK.
ROY LINK: They're going to put him in a side by side. Oh, he don't want to get in it. Never mind. He don't want to get in it. He's too scared of it. I figured.
- Yeah, that's OK. Just keep him with you.
ROY LINK: Yes. Yeah, we got plenty of people here. He's good. They're giving him a little bit of candy right now, and give him some drinks. And--
- OK.
ROY LINK: I'm sure he's starved.
- Yeah.
ROY LINK: But, yes, sir, he's good. [INAUDIBLE].
- Yeah, just keep me on the line until a deputy is there with you. OK?
ROY LINK: All right. OK. Yeah.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
ROY LINK: Yeah, it was good to have all of the boots on the ground to find him. Yes, sir.
- Hey, you guys still walking towards Cobb?
ROY LINK: Yes.
- OK.
ROY LINK: We are right now.
- Just let me know when you actually get onto Cobb, OK?
ROY LINK: Yeah, it's going to be a little bit. Because we're-- like I said, we're 100 yards, 150 yards probably.
- Yeah, that's OK. Do you have anyone else that can like go out to Cobb and just meet our unit there and start leading them--
ROY LINK: Hang on.
- --back [INAUDIBLE]?
ROY LINK: Hey, they-- hey, they want to know, could you run up there and flag them down?
- Yeah.
ROY LINK: Yeah, she's going up there on the side by side right now to flag them down.
- OK.
ROY LINK: Yeah, a big orange side by side.
- A big orange one?
ROY LINK: Yeah, a big orange and black side by side. They can't miss it.
- OK.
ROY LINK: There'll be a gate right there, but it's-- it's closed and locked. But they'll be able to see. Good job, buddy. Way to make it. Way to make it. Such a big guy you are.
- [INAUDIBLE] scratches.
ROY LINK: He's got some scratches, and scrapes, and bruises but--
- [INAUDIBLE]
ROY LINK: --over 24 hours alone in the woods,
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
ROY LINK: --yeah, he did great. Yeah, he did great. There they are right there. There they are.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
ROY LINK: Yeah.
- OK, do you see the unit?
ROY LINK: Yeah, here they are. They're here. Yeah, they're here.
- OK. I will let you go then so you can--
ROY LINK: All right. Thank you.
- --talk to them. Thank you so much.
ROY LINK: All right. Bye-bye.
- Bye-bye.
