DUXBURY, MASS. (WHDH) - An 8-year-old boy from Marshfield who went missing Tuesday night was found safely in the woods behind a Duxbury home Thursday morning, police said.
Police said Callahan Pierce was playing outside his home Tuesday when he wandered off around 7 p.m. He was home with a babysitter at the time.
After a full night of searching, he was found Wednesday morning.
Ben Ruggio said he had just reach about the search when he looked outside his home and saw the boy sitting there.
“Waking up for a cup of tea, bringing the dogs out, reading out about this kid it’s horrifying. Then look outside I thought I was hallucinating. I saw this little guy by the chicken coop. I was like, ‘woah, is this real?'” Ruggio said. “He tried getting away from me but, you know, I had to charm him in. I gained his trust and we got eggs from the chicken coop and then got him inside. He was shivering. It was horrible seeing him shaking.”
The 22-year-old said he knew he had to keep Pierce calm, so he did all he could to make him comfortable.
“Got him inside and made him some eggs and tea, and then ran upstairs and called my mom – was like, ‘mom there’s literally the kid, he’s right here!'” Ruggio said.
“Like most of Duxbury we didn’t really sleep last night and then I said to Chris, who is Ben talking to in the kitchen?” said Ben’s mother Jackie Ruggio. And next minute he came running into the room because he left his phone upstairs, and said, ‘I’ve got Callahan downstairs call the police.'”
Within minutes, police descended on the home and took Pierce back to his parents so he could get checked out.
“This was a very scary situation, but it has a very happy situation that has a happy ending,” said Marshfield Police Chief Phil Tavares. “People in Duxbury found him in the woods, appears he was in woods all night long with no proper clothing. We suspect he has hypothermia, taken to the hospital, but he is doing well.”
The Pierce family said they are thankful for everyone’s help in getting their son home. In a statement, they wrote, “We are overwhelmed with gratitude for every single person who helped in the search to bring our Callahan home. The support in this community is insurmountable.”
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