Authorities have relaunched efforts to find Samuel Boehlke, who disappeared as a child in Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park nearly 20 years ago.
Authorities in Oregon have renewed the search for Samuel Boehlke, an 8-year-old boy who disappeared near Crater Lake National Park in 2006. Samuel, also known as Sammie, vanished on Oct. 14 that year while walking with his father near the Cleetwood Cove trailhead. The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said he suddenly ran into the woods and never returned.
Despite extensive searches at the time, including help from federal agents, no trace was found. His mother, Kirsten Becker, told USA Today her son had autism and that searchers were frustrated they could not locate him. “It should have been easy, and we should have been able to find him,” she said, adding she does not blame her ex-husband, who was “absolutely devastated.”
His father, Kenneth, believes Samuel thought running was “just a game” and was looking for “gold,” or yellow pumice stones. Authorities confirmed a snowstorm hampered the original search. Renewed efforts took place around Crater Lake on Sept. 20.