ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO ( KPLR )—
The man who found missing Joshua Childers in Mark Twain National Forest Wednesday wants to give the credit to a couple of pet dogs. Construction worker and hunter Don Halpin of Fredericktown, MO had left his search area and was heading back for the day when he noticed the dogs sniffing some undergrowth about thirty yards from a logging road."Just happened to look over there and see them dogs and I thought well they are out of place," explained Halpin. He went to investigate and saw the child's bare buttocks. "He was laying still and I felt real bad." The two dogs appeared to be guarding the boy. A large black shaggy haired one barked at Halpin.
"So I just said, 'hey buddy' and the little fella he just set right up and looked at me and grinned," said Halpin as he smiled from ear to ear. "So you want to go home ? He said yeah." The fifty-seven year old grandfather wrapped up the three year old in his shirt and headed down the mountain. He was so excited he called his family and asked them to call 9-1-1. "I couldn't hardly talk; I was pretty shook up," he added.
"I was in disbelief," said Halpin's 23 year old son Tyler who answered his father's phone call back in Fredericktown. "That's amazing that the kid survived," he added. After reaching police, Tyler Halpin began calling family and friends. "I could tell he was serious by his voice."
"He just had a few little scratches on his legs, I mean . He wasn't bruised up too bad that I noticed," said Halpin. " He sat up and he stood up and he was talking to me." The two made their way about half a mile down a mountain to house on Rt. D. The Iron County Sheriff and an ambulance met them there.
It turns out the dogs belong to a family which lives along Rt. D. The pets are known for wandering off into the woods.
Halpin's wife Becky thinks the rescue has the makings of a miracle. Her husband's construction job got rained out Wednesday so he volunteered for the search effort for the first time. "He got out of the actual area he was supposed to be in. Everything was just amazing," she said.
The Halpins and two sons will be in New York City for the weekend. A television network paid their way in return for a news interview.
"I'll probably go out and see Joshua after he gets home and gets settled in and everything gets calmed down," said Halpin as he prepared to board a plane for the New York City area. The Halpins feel a special connection to the Childers. They have twin granddaughters about the same age. "They live way out in the country," said Mrs. Halpin. "The first thing you are thinking is oh my God that could happen to them anytime too."
