Iowa police K-9 finds missing 2-year-old boy who wandered from home with family dog
Mason City Police Officer Duane Kemna and K-9 Kilo helped find a 2-year-old boy who wandered off with his own dog on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. (Mason City Police Department/Google Street View)
MASON CITY, Iowa - A police dog in Iowa is being credited with helping one family's nightmare come to an end.
The Mason City Police Department said in a press release that a family contacted authorities shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday after their 2-year-old son and family dog went missing.
The toddler and his dog had wandered off from the rural home, according to police.
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Responding deputies helped family members search the home and buildings on their property, with no sign of the child.
The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office called for K-9 units from Mason City and Worth County, as deputies began to use a drone to help find the child.
But it was Mason City Police Officer Duane Kemna and K-9 Kilo who started a track and eventually found the 2-year-old boy along a creek through "several acres of timber" about .6 of a mile from the home.
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The child was found on the northwest corner of a neighbor's home sitting on a cinder block, with his family dog by his side.
The child had removed his wet socks, shoes, and coat but was not in need of medical attention, according to police.
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"It's not every day we get to share good news, but we are proud of the work done yesterday by K-9 Kilo and Officer Duane Kemna," Mason City Police tweeted. "Good dog!"