Robbie Wood, 8 yo (w/Autism) Hanover, Virginia since October 23, 2011(SAFE)

[cartfly]

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2011/102011/10262011/660991


Search will continue Wednesday for missing boy.
BY PORTSIA SMITH
Date published: 10/26/2011

BY PORTSIA SMITH

More volunteers will be accepted today as the search continues for a Caroline County boy with autism who has been missing since Sunday afternoon.

More than 1,000 people from across the state showed up at Kings Dominion yesterday to help in the search for 9-year-old Robert Wood Jr., who is known as Robbie or Bud. Authorities said 889 of those were registered, trained and deployed on search assignments.

More than 100 concerned people gathered last night at the Doswell Community Center for a candlelight vigil in Robbie's honor and prayed for his safe return home.

 ::snipping2::
The Hanover County Sheriff's Office received a call at 2:43 p.m. Sunday about a missing child.

Robert A. Wood Sr. said he was walking along a trail in the park with his two autistic sons and his girlfriend when Robbie, his older son, wandered off and ran into the woods around 2 p.m. He told police that he tried to chase after the boy, but eventually lost sight of him.

Robbie was last seen at the end of the trail close to the North Anna River, Hines said.

The terrain in that area is particularly rugged, with many ravines, brush and briars.

Hines said Robbie has "extremely limited communication skills and absolutely no awareness of personal safety concerns."
 ::snipping2::
The boy's challenges have made the search more difficult than usual because he doesn't talk and communicates only by screaming or squealing. In fact, loud noises, like helicopters or strangers calling his name, may scare him or cause him to hide, authorities have said.

Resources from across the region have been used in trying to find the boy. They include bloodhounds, aerial thermal imaging, dive teams and foot searches, Hines said.

Although Robbie had not been found yet, Hines said yesterday his "confidence is high" that the youngster was in that park.

"The dogs have told us that Robert was there. We're still looking. We're doing tracks. We're backtracking and putting efforts back in where we were yesterday," he said. "By all indications, Robert was in that park where he was last seen."

Hines took a moment to thank the community for support from all across the region. But he also wanted people to remember the family.

"We should not forget Robert's family, who have been here with us since Sunday. They've fully cooperated with all of our inquiries. Any suggestion otherwise is simply not true," Hines said. "This experience is heart-wrenching for all of us. I could not imagine their level of distress."
 ::snipping2::


Edit to change Robbie's age from 9 to 8  in subject line in posts/reply #1 thru #14per article. MB  http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/news/2011/oct/28/tdmet01-volunteer-searchers-continue-to-step-forwa-ar-1416224/

[cartfly]

Robert 'Robbie' Wood Jr: Missing In Hanover Va.
8:56 AM, Oct 25, 2011  

(video at following link)

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/172178/158/Robert-Robbie-Wood-Jr-Missing-In-Hanover-Va-|  

[cartfly]

facebook updates/sheriff dept.

https://www.facebook.com/HanoverSheriff

[cartfly]

Crews talk about challenges at night looking for Robert

Posted: Oct 26, 2011 9:50 PM CDT Updated: Oct 26, 2011 10:08 PM CDT
By Gene Petriello

DOSWELL, VA (WWBT) - Rescue crews are once again in the woods tonight, looking for 8-year-old Robert Wood, Junior. He was last seen with his family inside the North Anna Battlefield Park around 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Crews say despite the fact the search has been going on for more than 80 hours, there is no backing down in this search and rescue operation.

It's the way of survival for the rescue crews, hoping to find little Robert Wood Junior surviving in the woods.

"Let's hope we get lucky tonight," said one crew member.

Mark Creighton is part of the Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group. He's one of several ground teams heading out tonight into the park, along with more than a dozen K-9 units. "We are looking for signs of human passage, clues that looks like someone dropped something."

Some of the crews heading out tonight are going equipped with glow sticks. It's these glow sticks that Robert is attracted to.

Searching in these woods overnight for Robert means a change in tactics.

 ::snipping2::
William Chrimes manages the night rescue teams. He says despite the darkness, searching at night actually has it's advantages.

"It tends to be cooler at night and the dogs can walk longer and more efficiently at night," he said.

Also, the scent of Robert the dogs are looking for, lingers near the ground. During the day those scents tend to vanish into the air.

Meanwhile, Mark and the rest of these crews are simply ready to give it their all tonight, for a little boy that is in the hearts and prayers of so many.

Volunteers are needed for the search Thursday. You can meet up at the Kings Dominion main parking lot at 9 a.m. Bring a photo ID with you.

Tonight, crews tell us they are searching for Robert in an area where there are sharp drop offs near the North Anna River, where Robert was last tracked to. We are learning there is an indication that Robert may be there in that area.
 ::snipping2::

http://www.nbc12.com/story/15885931/crews-talk-about-challenges-at-night-looking-for-robert

[KittyMom]

Poor little guy.  I hope they find him soon.

[cartfly]

Poor little guy.  I hope they find him soon.

I know, I can not imagine how scared these parents are. The thing that worries me is this has been about 4 days, the dogs located his scent near a river and overnight temperatures could be brutal. Praying for a miracle  

[cartfly]

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/news/2011/oct/27/6/tdmain01-hundreds-of-volunteers-search-for-lost-au-ar-1413413/

UPDATE: Autistic boy still missing; more volunteers sought today

October 27, 2011

Authorities in Hanover county continued to search without success overnight for 9-year-old Robert Wood Jr., an autistic boy who disappeared Sunday while on a walk with relatives.

The Hanover Sheriff's Office is asking for more volunteers today and especially wants those who already have been registered and trained to return. People who want to volunteer are asked to arrive at 9 a.m. at Kings Dominion dressed in appropriate clothing for a hike in dense woods. A valid identification is also required.
 ::snipping2::

Authorities in Hanover county continued to search without success overnight for 9-year-old Robert Wood Jr., an autistic boy who disappeared Sunday while on a walk with relatives.

The Hanover Sheriff's Office is asking for more volunteers today and especially wants those who already have been registered and trained to return. People who want to volunteer are asked to arrive at 9 a.m. at Kings Dominion dressed in appropriate clothing for a hike in dense woods. A valid identification is also required.
 ::snipping2::
He said dive teams and kayakers have searched upriver from the site where Robert was last seen and downriver to U.S. 1, more than a mile to the east. He said the river's water level had been lowered to make searching easier.

Asked the odds that Robert is still alive, Trice said the question isn't relevant at this point. "We are going to continue this until we find him. … We're operating under the assumption that Robert needs our help."

He said a sheriff's team has been assigned to stay with the boy's family around the clock, adding that "they're doing as expected." The family has asked that the boy be referred to as Robert, rather than Robbie, officials said.
 ::snipping2::

[cartfly]

Let's find Robbie Wood facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lets-Find-Robbie-Wood/278702872152780?sk=wall

[MuffyBee]

http://twitter.com/#!/rtdnews
RTDNEWS Times-Dispatch
Waiting for afternoon #findrobbie press conference to start. I'll have an update afterward.
25 minutes ago
Times-Dispatch
RTDNEWS Times-Dispatch
New wave of searchers for Robert Wood Jr. expected to go out around 2 p.m. #findrobbie #rva
1 hour ago
Times-Dispatch
RTDNEWS Times-Dispatch
UPDATE: 1,500 show up to help search for lost autistic boy Robbie Wood Jr. #findrobbie #rva bit.ly/rQgwrN
2 hours ago

[MuffyBee]

http://twitter.com/#!/rtdnews
RTDNEWS Times-Dispatch
NEw LOCATION: Volunteer searchers should go to Meadow Event Park, not Kings Dominion tomorrow. #findrobbie #rva
8 minutes ago
Times-Dispatch
RTDNEWS Times-Dispatch
1,000 volunteers needed tomorrow to search for Robert Wood Jr. #findrobbie #rva
10 minutes ago

[MuffyBee]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/search-continues-robert-woods-jr-missing-mute-autistic/story?id=14827692
Mute Autistic Boy, 9, Missing in Virginia
October 27, 2011

As near-freezing temperatures threatened to set in at nightfall, more than 1,000 volunteers spent today searching rugged Virginia woodlands for a 9-year-old autistic boy who has been missing since Sunday.

Carrying walking sticks and wearing yellow reflective jackets, the searchers began lining up before dawn to be taken to the forest where they were to look for Robert Wood, Jr.

"I have an 11 year old, and if the situation were reversed, I would hope people would be out helping me look for her," said a man named Don who stood in line for hours in the parking lot of an amusement park to take part in the effort to find the boy.

Hanover County sheriff's officers say Robert, who does not speak, ran off from his father while they were visiting North Anna Battlefield Park on Sunday.

After five days, the search has been fruitless. Some areas of the park have been covered by search teams at least twice. With weather forecasters predicting temperatures in the upper 30s early Friday morning, the effort took on new urgency today.
 ::snipping2::
fficials have broadened their search area to a 3.5 mile radius from where the boy was last seen, up from 2.5 miles. They have also stopped the flow of water into the North Anna River, to aid divers in their search of the water.

Specialized teams will use infrared, thermal-imaging and night vision technology as they continue looking for Robert overnight.

The number of searchers has also increased.

"They said they needed more volunteers today because time is of the essence," said Stephanie Saccone, a Richmond resident who had been watching news coverage of the search all week.

Eddie Buchanan, division chief of Hanover County Fire/EMS, told ABC News that so many volunteers showed up to look for Robert today that hundreds were sent home after receiving training, in the hopes they would return tomorrow.

No searcher goes into the field without receiving protective gear and being taught by an autism specialist how to interact with Robert, should they find him.
 ::snipping2::

[cookie]

hope this little boy is found safe! he must be so scared and confused...

[labubske]

I am praying hard that they find Robbie real soon...he doesn't need to be out there in that cold weather.

[MuffyBee]

I hope Robbie can be found this morning, while there's still hope for a rescue. The weather was mild until last night, and with the more colder temps comes rain according to the forecast.  I'm praying for Robbie and for those searching for him.  I hope we get news he's been found alive this morning.  

The weather forecast for Hanover, VA:

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=hanover,%20va

Right now it's 44 degrees, but feels like 42 degrees.(Windchill 42)  The sky is overcast.
Today is forecast to be Much Cooler than yesterday.

Today
Chance of Rain 50 °F
Chance of Rain
80% chance of precipitation
Tonight
Rain 40 °F
Rain
90% chance of precipitation
Tomorrow
Rain 43 °F
Rain
90% chance of precipitation
Sunday
Clear 54 | 36 °F
Clear



Regional Forecast for Hanover
Today
chancerain    Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain early this afternoon. A chance of rain late. Highs around 50. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Tonight
nt_rain    Rain. Lows around 40. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.
Hourly Forecast    6AM    12 Noon    6PM    

[MuffyBee]

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/news/2011/oct/28/tdmet01-volunteer-searchers-continue-to-step-forwa-ar-1416224/
Volunteer searchers continue to step forward to search for Robert "Robbie" Wood Jr.
October 28, 2011

Five days after Robert Wood Jr. disappeared while walking in a Hanover County park, some 1,500 volunteers turned out Thursday to assist in the search for the missing autistic boy.

About 1,200 were deployed to canvass areas of rough terrain and dense woods around North Anna Battlefield Park, many of them walking property that had previously been searched as many as six times.

An additional 300 volunteers were registered, trained and turned away because there weren't enough assignments for them, but officials asked those people to return today.

Hanover Sheriff's Office officials, who are coordinating the efforts, praised the public's willingness to help. About 2,500 volunteer searchers already have been put to work this week.

"We've had a huge response," said Hanover Capt. Michael Trice. "I can't tell you how much that means to both the family and the professional staff that are working to find Robert."

Robert's mother and father also have participated in the search, Trice said.
 ::snipping2::
Eight-year-old Robert, who lives in Caroline County and is nonverbal, was last seen Sunday afternoon while on a walk in North Anna Battlefield Park with his father, brother and a female friend of his father's. Officials corrected his age Thursday, saying he won't turn 9 until November.( I really hope he can celebrate his ninth birthday with his family.-My comment.  MB)
 ::snipping2::
Hundreds of people have provided support for the operation. More than 300 professional searchers have aided in the efforts, including regional search-and-rescue teams from across the state.

Seven professional teams of searchers worked through Wednesday night using flashlights, night-vision goggles and heat sensors to finish searching grids that teams didn't complete during the day. They were also able to better utilize search dogs, which are more apt to pick up scents when they can concentrate in the quiet of night.

On Thursday, the search was expanded from a 21/2-mile radius to a 31/2-mile radius.

Trice said three teams of divers from the Virginia State Police, Hanover Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police spent the day searching the North Anna River with the goal of covering 14 miles by day's end, Trice said.

Searchers spent most of the week focused on a 7-mile stretch of the river. The water level was lowered this week, enabling searchers to walk much of the riverbed. But there were still deep areas that needed to be searched by divers.

On Sunday, bloodhounds picked up Robert's scent near the spot he disappeared, but they lost his scent at the river. Searchers in kayaks and boats, as well as teams of cadaver dogs, also have been searching the river. While dogs have not picked up the boy's scent on the Caroline side of the river, the search has extended into that county.
 ::snipping2::

[MuffyBee]

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2011/102011/10282011/661535
VOLUNTEERS CONTINUE SEARCHING FOR ROBERT
The search continues for a sixth day for 8-year-old Robert Wood Jr., who disappeared in the woods near North Anna Battlefield Park on Sunday.
October 28, 2011

The search for an 8-year-old boy with autism is in its sixth day in the rugged woodlands in and near North Anna Battlefield Park.

Robert Wood Jr. disappeared Sunday while visiting the park with his family.

The number of volunteers swelled to 1,500 yesterday, said Capt. Mike Trice with the Hanover County Sheriff's Department.

Today they are asking for 1,000 volunteers to help. The staging area for the volunteers has moved from Kings Dominion to Meadow Event Park, where the state fairgrounds are located.

The authorities' belief "that Robert is alive has not changed," said Trice during a press conference yesterday afternoon.

He said that the search has been expanded to a 3.5-mile radius from the point where Robert was last seen.

The search area was expanded to west and north of the North Anna River.

Three dive teams as well as kayaks were deployed to search three different areas of the North Anna River, covering a total of 14 miles.

Trice said that the river level was lowered about a foot and a half to assist with the search.

The river search was expanded when dogs caught Robert's trail at one point and lost it at the river.

The search continued into last night, with dogs and thermal-imaging night-vision equipment that will pick up heat.

The areas being searched both during the day and at night are high-probability areas, Trice said.

The divers won't be used at night, however.

Late yesterday, one of those involved in the search was taken to a hospital with a medical emergency. The nature of the emergency was not disclosed, but the victim was being treated.

The number of volunteers has continued to grow each day of the search. On the first day there were 889 volunteers; on the second day there were 940.

More than 3,000 volunteers have been trained, Trice said.
More...

[KittyMom]

I wonder if he'll respond to his dad's voice?  Maybe the searchers need to use a recording of dad.  I just hope he found somewhere warm to sleep at night.

[MuffyBee]

I wonder if he'll respond to his dad's voice?  Maybe the searchers need to use a recording of dad.  I just hope he found somewhere warm to sleep at night.

That sounds like a good idea KittyMom.  I've been checking for updates and so far this a.m. there's only been the information concerning staging today's search. 

[serenity/4thekids]

I wonder if he'll respond to his dad's voice?  Maybe the searchers need to use a recording of dad.  I just hope he found somewhere warm to sleep at night.

That sounds like a good idea KittyMom.  I've been checking for updates and so far this a.m. there's only been the information concerning staging today's search. 

Hi everyone.So glad to see a thread up for Robert, I grew up in Hanover and live about 45 mins from there now but the weather is getting worse, was sleeting in Hanover, now raining but cold and getting colder, I pray they find him today. They just interviewed one of the searchers who said the searchers are getting suspicious because no sign of him and in the back of their minds are thinking maybe something else happened to him Our local weather man saying he needs to be found within the next 12 hrs because the weather is going to get very bad. 

local updates can be checked at   nbc12.com

[KittyMom]

I wonder if he'll respond to his dad's voice?  Maybe the searchers need to use a recording of dad.  I just hope he found somewhere warm to sleep at night.

That sounds like a good idea KittyMom.  I've been checking for updates and so far this a.m. there's only been the information concerning staging today's search. 

Hi everyone.So glad to see a thread up for Robert, I grew up in Hanover and live about 45 mins from there now but the weather is getting worse, was sleeting in Hanover, now raining but cold and getting colder, I pray they find him today. They just interviewed one of the searchers who said the searchers are getting suspicious because no sign of him and in the back of their minds are thinking maybe something else happened to him Our local weather man saying he needs to be found within the next 12 hrs because the weather is going to get very bad. 

local updates can be checked at   nbc12.com

Frankly, I've thought something might be up too.  I hope not, but that one photo with all the marks on his little face really bothers me.