Missing toddler found safe thanks to Cleburne County K-9 Opie
According to the Cleburne County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a report of a missing child on June 3. As they were en route to the scene, K-9 handler Deputy Mayfield and Opie were also dispatched to assist in the search.
Mayfield, 28, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who later entered law enforcement, has worked closely with Opie, a 14-month-old bloodhound, since July 4, 2024, when the dog was just 10 weeks old. Together, the two form the Sheriff's Office's only tracking K-9 team. While the department also uses a drug detection dog named Max, Opie specializes in narcotics detection, tracking, and article searches — the recovery of items like weapons or evidence discarded by suspects.
When Mayfield arrived at the residence, the scene had already been secured by other deputies to minimize foot traffic and preserve scent trails.
Opie was given a pair of the child's shorts by the mother to begin tracking. Mayfield said he first took time to get Opie 'hyped up,' a regular part of their routine, before presenting the scent article and issuing the tracking command.
'He went towards the back. Located a football in the backyard, and I'm guessing that football has been used with the kid before, because he sat on it for a second,' he said.
After circling the property, the K-9 showed no signs of the child having left the area. Instead, the dog indicated the scent remained inside the residence.
Based on Opie's behavior, deputies and family members conducted another search inside the home. This time, they found the boy safe under a pile of blankets in his bed. Only his fingertips were visible, and one deputy spotted them during the search.
Once the child was reunited with his mother Mayfield asked if it would be ok if he could bring Opie out and present the clothing again to see if he could find him standing there.
'I deployed Opie again from my vehicle and he walked right past everybody else, went straight to the mama with the child,' Mayfield said, 'I asked the mom if he could get down and play with Opie, and she let him play with him and after that, we loaded up and went back home.'
Sheriff Jon Daniel praised the teamwork and rapid response.
'I am thankful for the outcome of this situation and grateful for the response exhibited by the deputies, on-duty and off-duty, that came to assist,' Daniel said. 'I also want to thank Heflin PD for their quick response alongside us for the welfare of the child. I am also thankful for the work done by K-9 Opie and the asset he is to the Sheriff's Office and all of the citizens we serve.'
Mayfield said the child's mother was apologetic for calling law enforcement, but emphasized that she did everything right and every second counts.
Opie was rewarded with his favorite treat — a small hand towel.
'He loves hand towels. He just holds it in his mouth,' Mayfield said. 'If I hold it, he'll pull on it. He'll just walk around with it — that's what he does. He's not as high-energy as German shepherds; he's more calm. That's how bloodhounds are.'
Mayfield, who became interested in K-9 work during his military service, said watching other handlers work with bomb detection and narcotics dogs inspired him.
'When I got into law enforcement and started doing narcotics work, I saw how beneficial a dog could be for our department and the county,' he said.
In addition to his work within Cleburne County, Mayfield frequently responds to requests from law enforcement agencies across Alabama and Georgia, particularly for tracking suspects or conducting narcotics searches.
'I've had calls from state troopers when someone runs on foot. A lot of agencies have more K-9s than we do, so they have options, but I still get called out a lot,' he said. 'I couldn't even tell you how many times I've deployed him on tracks in Cleburne County.'
One frequent location is Cheaha State Park, where Mayfield is often called to assist when individuals are lost on the trails or fleeing law enforcement.
'I go up there a good bit. If they need us, we're there,' he said. 'No matter the time of day, I'll come out.'
Mayfield said his work with Opie requires not just experience but keen observation.
'You look for the signs — people who are overly nervous, stories that don't line up, or behavior that's just off,' he said. 'Once Opie alerts, that gives us probable cause to conduct a search.'
'This was a good ending,' he said about the search for the boy, adding that Opie received his reward, his chew rag.
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