Joshua 'JJ' Rowland: Missing Florida boy, 2, found alive by retired marine Roy Link after 24 hours
HERNANDO, FLORIDA: Roy Link, a retired marine found missing 2-year-old Joshua "JJ" Rowland on Friday following a full-blown search for the Hernando County toddler in Florida. Rowland had been missing for 24 hours after he disappeared from the yard of his family home in Florida.
He was found around half a mile north of his home in Brooksville, near Tampa in the woods. 500 volunteers joined the search Friday, February 24 to assist hundred law enforcement officials with K-9s which saw the use of ATVs, infrared cameras, horses, and helicopters.
READ MORE
Teen arrested after bringing AR-15 to basketball game at Millbrook high school in Raleigh
'He's home safe thank you God'
"He's home safe thank you God," Joshua Rowland, the toddler's father wrote on Facebook along with a picture. Link said that after spending the night alone the boy was so scared he wouldn't let him go of him, Daily Mail reported. He got emotional while being interviewed on 10 Tampa Bay. "He put his hands in the air, like come get me as I was called his name. He was happy when I picked him up," Link said. At one point in the interview, Link said he was no hero but
'Who knows what's out there'
Link noted, "You wouldn't find a lot of adults out there spending the night. Who knows what's out there you know coyotes, bobcats, and that type of stuff. I am sure been there he too would have been very scared...but he seemed in good spirits...I saw scratches on his arms and legs." He also said that, "He was happy to be back. The whole family cousin, grandma everybody hugged me. Wishing somebody to find him and I happened to be the guy...I am no hero nothing else just my lucky day."
While his mother slept inside, Rowland was last seen playing with dogs in his yard at around ten in the morning on Thursday.
"I was hoping and praying for a miracle. I certainly was not expecting one but, I think a lot of people were praying and prayer works," said Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis. The Hernando County Sheriff reported on Friday morning that although the search was halted overnight as law officers searched the area with the IR cameras, nothing noteworthy was discovered.
"He's definitely going to have something to tell his kids and grandkids about and I'm sure mom and dad are going to keep a closer eye on him from this point forward," the sheriff said. "We had no clue what happened to him," he added as per a report.
Rowland's mother told deputies that she and the boy were settled in for a nap around 9.30 am and when she woke up he was missing. She said she spent around an hour looking for him before alerting authorities. On Friday evening the Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a statewide Missing Child Alert. On Thursday the Sheriff's department also asked people to search their personal property, including houses and cars. Sheriff's Office put out a notice in the morning saying that it had an abundance of volunteers and did not need any more.
He was found just south of Parrott Middle School, around half a mile north of where he was last seen in the area of Yontz Road and Cheever road, the sheriff's office said. A renewed search effort began as the sun rose on Friday morning.
Tonya Lindblade, his aunt, posted on Facebook on Monday night, saying, "We are worried sick people are still frantically searching for him, and thank you so much for all the prayers and the people searching. I hope he is safe and comes home soon." His father shared the positive news on Friday, "I just wanted to say thank you everybody God bless I'm sorry I'm not responding. Dealing with a lot but it meant the world to everybody reaching out for my baby. Amen."