A 7-year-old boy has been missing after he fell into the Tar River in Franklinton, N.C. on Monday, March 17, a Franklin County representative confirmed to PEOPLE.
The young boy, whose identity has not been released, was playing near Tar River around 5:30 p.m. on Monday when he fell into the water. The water was 57 degrees, in minor flood stage, and about 12 to 15 feet deep.
His family said that he didn’t know how to swim, and his sister tried to save him, according to ABC 11.
After he fell into the water, crews from multiple agencies responded to the scene and worked for hours to search for him. The Franklin County Emergency Services said in an early Tuesday morning news release that after nearly seven hours, “search teams battled tough terrain, cold water, and swift currents” before they decided to pause and return with specialized teams and resources.
On Tuesday, March 18, around 6 p.m. local time, the search was paused. “Search crews from counties and state agencies across the region have completed 19 hours of difficult but systematic searching of the Tar River that has stretched 3 miles.”
The pause is “to ensure the safety of responders and to allow for equipment to be refueled and have necessary maintenance performed.”
More partners and resources will be brought to aid the search efforts, the Franklin County representative said. The search will continue with a specialized canine, three underwater drones, two aerial drones, and up to nine boats equipped with sonar.
Shirbartis Alston, a cousin representing the young boy’s family, said in a conversation with WRAL News on March 18: “All I can say is it’s praying time.”
“I want to say thank you to all the prayers and calls … I can’t get to everybody, but just know your prayers and calls are very much needed. We are still believing in God, we’re still praying and hoping that everything is going to be alright.” She added she is asking the public to keep the boy’s mother in their prayers.
“We’re just speechless right now,” Alston said, per ABC 11. “We’re numb, but we’re still praying that God gives us favor.” She added, “We’re just praying that we can see his face again.”
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“The amount of response that we have gotten – it’s a testament on how the community comes out,” a Franklin County EMS spokesperson said, per WRAL. “These guys out here doing the searches, they keep asking them, ‘Do you need to stop?’ And they keep saying, ‘We can keep going.’ ”
“Time is valuable, especially in a missing persons case,” Captain Josh Skelnik of the Youngsville Dive Team said, per ABC 11. “We have to hit it from every angle we can.”
“We are grateful for everyone who’s reaching out to us, wanting to offer their help,” Franklin County Emergency Management Director Nicholas Thorpe said. He confirmed that this is a risky operation and they are “not seeking any additional help from the community.”
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