When an 8-year-old boy went missing, police in northwest Germany, together with the boy’s family, went on a manhunt but were unable to find him. Over a week passed, and the boy was discovered alive in a sewer close to his home. The boy, identified only as “Joe,” disappeared on June 17, leading to a massive search effort and his worried family.
However, after 8 days, the boy was found by the Oldenburg police under a covered manhole. Thanks to a tip done by a passerby who heard noises coming from the covered ground, the boy was successfully rescued.
“After evaluating all traces and clues, the officers now assume that Joe crawled through a drain into the rainwater sewer sys
tem on the day of his disappearance and lost his orientation after several meters,” the police announced. Their initial investigation “ruled out third-party negligence at this point in time.”
Additionally, the search involved “a wide variety of police departments across the country as well as fire brigades and countless individual citizens who took part in the search for Joe.”
According to the police, the situation was self-inflicted.
Joe was found totally nude, but he had no significant wounds. He suffered from extreme hypothermia and dehydration, according to the police. He lost his sense of direction and could not find a way out.
According to the police’s theory, Joe followed the sewer system through a plastic pipe with a diameter of only 23.6 inches (60 centimeters) after allegedly crawling along the line for 23 meters (75 feet). His clothes were recovered inside the pipe. Spending 8 days in the sewage system must have been horrible for Joe.
The boy managed to pass through sewage shafts and intersections to reach the spot under the covered manhole where he was rescued.
Authorities initiated a homicide investigation after receiving a tip that Joe had been spotted with an unknown person. However, the tip was false, and the police believed there was no foul play.
Joe is being treated in the hospital and is under observation while receiving care. However, he has not been able to tell his side of the story to the authorities yet. Initial reports claimed that Joe was suffering from a learning disability. They suggested that if Joe thought the search was only a game, he might remain hidden and did not want to be found. Fortunately, everything went well, and he was rescued after a thorough investigation.
“We are so happy, truly,” police spokesman Stephan Klatte remarked. “That is absolute luck. Of course, there was a possibility that we wouldn’t find the child there. Possibly, if he had not made a sound or these noises would not have been heard, then we may not have found him there at all.”
“I am very impressed by the great commitment of the past few days,” Oldenburg Police President Johann Kühme said. “I would like to thank all the main and volunteer forces and people who have done everything with empathy and a high personal effort—until late at night—to find the missing child.”
Joe’s father expressed his deepest gratitude to all the people who participated in searching for his son.
▼ Watch the video below to witness how Joe was rescued after spending 8 days in a sewage system:
Screenshot images and Video credits: © Inside Edition/YouTube
