Missing skateboarder, 13, is found alive four days after vanishing - but there's very bad news for his family

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

A 13-year-old Missouri boy missing for more than four days has been found alive in a ravine near his home, but he remains in critical condition after suffering serious injuries, officials confirmed.
Dakota 'Cody' Trenkle Jr. was reported missing on Sunday morning after he left home on his skateboard, headed to a friend's house near the 6400 block of Eagle Lane in the Goose Creek Lake community of St. Francois County.
When Cody failed to arrive, his family frantically turned to social media in hopes of finding clues about their loved one's mysterious disappearance. With no leads, they contacted local law enforcement, who quickly began circulating flyers for the missing teen.
A large-scale search effort ensued, including members of the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and community volunteers.
After days of searching with no success, officials requested assistance from the Farmington Correctional Center K-9 Unit.
On Wednesday, with the help of a trained bloodhound named Daryl, search teams tracked Cody's scent through dense, rugged terrain.
He was located alive around noon that day - 540 yards from where his skateboard had been found earlier and about half a mile from his home.
He was discovered lying in approximately one foot of water at the bottom of a steep ravine, which featured a 240-foot elevation drop, according to FirstAlert4.
Officials said Cody suffered a traumatic leg injury, a brain bleed, severe dehydration, and other symptoms of extreme exposure.
He had been without food or clean water for nearly 96 hours.
After his discovery, Cody was airlifted by ARCH helicopter to a hospital in St. Louis, where he remained in critical condition as of Thursday evening.
'This was an incredibly difficult search, both physically and emotionally,' St. Francois County Sheriff Jeff Crites told KSDK5.
'Finding Dakota alive after so many days is nothing short of a miracle. We are thankful to everyone who contributed their time and energy to bring him home.'
Cody's aunt, Brittney Van Volkenburg - a volunteer firefighter with the Goose Creek Lake Fire Department - helped coordinate the search effort.
'I posted the flyer in our department group chat and said, "This is my nephew. We need to get a search team together," she said, adding that 'everyone was immediately on board.'
After Cody's skateboard was located on Wednesday, Van Volkenburg contacted the correctional facility where she works to expedite the K-9 response. Within minutes, bloodhound Daryl and his handlers began tracking.
Lieutenant Virginia Stafford, one of the K-9 handlers, told KSDK5 that Daryl quickly picked up Cody's scent and led them through overgrown terrain.
'[Daryl] did lead us down to him,' Stafford said.
She recalled that when they reached Cody, 'he was looking at us whenever we got up to him,' though he was too dehydrated to speak.
Despite his battered condition, Van Volkenburg believes her nephew was 'excited to see us for sure.'
Authorities believe that overnight rain may have helped cool Cody's body and prevent further complications.
Miraculously, and despite his injuries, doctors found no broken bones - and according to his family, he is currently being kept in a medically induced coma to help stabilize brain activity.
'He was born a preemie. He's been a fighter since the day he was born,' Van Volkenburg said. 'We're hoping he pulls through. It's still rocky, but we're praying.'
The St. Francois County Sheriff's Department said the incident appears to be accidental, with no evidence of foul play, however, the investigation remains ongoing.
Emergency crews involved in the rescue effort - including the Goose Creek Fire Department, Farmington Correctional Center K-9 Unit, St. Francois County Ambulance District, and ARCH Medical - were praised for their collaboration.
'This response showcases the power of community collaboration and multi-agency coordination,' the sheriff's office said. 'We are incredibly grateful to every individual who played a role in bringing Dakota home.'
Cody's family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his medical expenses.