Authorities Find Body of Missing 10-Year-Old Boy
Friday, October 17, 2003
LINCOLN, N.H. — A 10-year-old boy who disappeared in the New Hampshire woods was found dead Friday, four days after he apparently made a wrong turn and became separated from his family.
The cause of death was not disclosed, but police said all along that they did not suspect foul play in his disappearance.
The body of Patric McCarthy was found about 2 miles from where he was last seen playing Monday near the family condominium on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest (search).
As many as 500 people at a time had searched night and day for him, using helicopters, dogs, night-vision equipment and even kayaks on a river that runs through the mountains.
"We thought we were going to find him, especially today," volunteer Tony Castagna said. "We were just kidding ourselves, I guess."
Patric vanished as his family was packing to head home to Bourne, Mass.,
a day after celebrating the boy's birthday. Playing about 300 yards from the condo, Patric challenged his stepbrothers to a race back to the condo but never arrived. Authorities believe he tried a shortcut and got lost.
As the days stretched on, officials became concerned about whether the boy could survive in the open. The area got a drenching rain Tuesday and strong winds Wednesday. Temperatures dipped into the 30s and 40s at night.
Police had also searched many of the roughly 500 condos in the area, looking in crawl spaces, under beds and in closets. New Hampshire first lady Denise Benson (search) had joined the hundreds of volunteers Friday.
The boy's uncle said Patric was not prepared for such a situation.
"He's scared to death of the dark," said Wayne Rutledge, of Wareham, Mass.
"When you don't know where you are and it's dark and you start thinking of mountain lions and other wild animals, what must go through a 10-year-old's mind," he said. "Your mind is your worst enemy. It takes a lot of self control.
Patric's father, Steve, and stepmother, Margaret, had spent the agonizing hours at the condo. His mother, Dee Murray, followed the news from Bourne.
"We're going to find my son today," she had said Friday in a tearful televised interview.
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