Searchers Lay Out Grid to Zero in on Lost Boy: Authorities Show Optimism As Work Continues

Mar 20, 10:32 AM

Current Headlines: By Sherry Youngquist, Monte Mitchell, and Blair Goldstein, Winston-Salem Journal, N.C.

Mar. 20--McGRADY

Rescuers continued searching through rugged terrain yesterday in an area near the Blue Ridge Parkway in hopes of any sign of 12-year-old Michael Auberry, who disappeared from his Boy Scout campsite Saturday afternoon.

Brent Pennington, a district ranger with the Blue Ridge Parkway, said that crews spent the day searching intensively in small areas and moving on to others when they didn't find anything.

"Right now we're still very optimistic," Pennington said.

On Sunday night, a dive team from Alleghany County searched in the water above a dam in Doughton Park. Auberry's parents, Kent Auberry and Debbie Hayes of Greensboro, said they were relieved when they learned that the water search turned up nothing.

"That was the one period of time we didn't want them to say 'we got him,'" Kent Auberry said.

Searchers have been over the area's logging roads and trails and scoured rugged off-road areas since his disappearance. They found his mess kit Saturday near Grassy Gap Fire Road less than a mile from the Scouts' camp, but no new clues were found yesterday, authorities said.

"We're hopeful at this point," said David Bauer, a Blue Ridge Parkway ranger. "I've been on searches that have lasted over a week in worse weather and we've had successful outcomes."

Auberry's mother said that Michael takes Ritalin for attention-deficit disorder. He took the medication with him on the trip but left it at the campsite along with his backpack. He is a curious and restless boy, she said, and he would be likely to keep moving if he got lost in the woods.

Debbie Hayes said that Michael didn't take water with him and that his only food was a container of Pringles potato chips. He was appropriately dressed for the weather in jeans, a sweatshirt and a jacket, she said.

She and her husband stayed at the staging area Sunday night and had planned on staying there again last night.

"We have good moments, and bad," Hayes said. "It's bad at night because we know how he must be feeling."

During daylight hours yesterday, searchers blew whistles and called out Michael's name.

But as night fell, they stopped that for fear he might injure himself in the dark if he tried to run to the sound. Instead, 15 state-park rangers searched along the trails. Searchers drove up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway at the north end of Doughton Park and along Longbottom Road at the south end of the park.

Dog teams worked in low-lying areas. "The cold air sinks at night and it might carry some scent," Bauer said.

Overnight temperatures Sunday reached 17 degrees. The high temperature yesterday was 58, and it was expected to drop into the low 40s last night.

About 10 Scouts and their three adult leaders of Troop 230 noticed that Michael was missing after eating lunch together Saturday.

No one is sure why Michael walked away from the group. Bauer and others have said that the boy probably wandered into the woods to explore.

"We have no clues or anything to indicate that there's foul play involved in this at all," said park ranger Tina White. "We completely believe that this is a young man who wandered way from his camping trip and he's lost in the woods."

Earlier on Saturday morning, Michael had stayed behind with an adult leader while the rest of the troop went for a hike "because apparently he wanted to sleep in," parkway officials said. The troop members returned for lunch. Soon after, between 12:30 and 1 p.m., they noticed Michael was missing from the camp, Bauer said.

Bauer said he wasn't aware of Michael having any arguments or problems with the troop members or his family.

The State Bureau of Investigation was one of the agencies on the ground yesterday and is investigating the matter, Pennington said.

Several agencies are assisting Blue Ridge Parkway officials in the search, including volunteers, firefighters and those affiliated with search-and-rescue teams across the region.

The number of people who have volunteered to help find Michael has been awe-inspiring, officials said. But state and federal agencies coordinating the search are allowing only a select few to help because they don't want to confuse the search. Authorities have divided the area into a grid, and search section by section.

Some local people who came to help were eager to help but said they understood the plan.

"We need to be here," said Cole Wyatt, 17, who is a senior at North Wilkes High School, who missed school to be there. "Any way we can help, we want to help."

Steve Wilburn, the executive director of Old Hickory Council, based in Winston-Salem, said that between 50 and 75 people from the council have been volunteering with the search. Several members are certified to help with the search; others have been cooking meals for the searchers.

Michael's story has caught the attention of national media, and people have been calling from across the nation to the McGrady Volunteer Fire Department to offer suggestions for finding the boy. They are also offering their prayers.

Auberry's parents said that they were coping as best as they could with help from family and friends.

"We appreciate everyone's support," she said. "Keep the prayers coming."

--Sherry Youngquist can be reached in Mount Airy at 336-789-9338 or at syoungquist@wsjournal.com.

--Monte Mitchell can be reached in Wilkesboro at 667-5691 or at mmitchell@wsjournal.com

--Blair Goldstein can be reached at 727-7284 or at bgoldstein@wsjournal.com.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Winston-Salem Journal, N.C.

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