North Carolina 3-year-old Casey Hathaway says he hung out with a bear after he vanished from his grandmother's backyardNY Daily News, Jan 26, 2019, Jessica Schladebeck
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“This little one was lost in the woods for days in the freezing temperatures, rain, dark nights and wind,†the fundraising campaign reads. “He told us that his best friend the bear was with him to keep him safe. Thanks to God’s mercy he came home to us alive and well.â€
The toddler told a similar tale to law enforcement, who are still unsure how Casey remained mostly healthy in the woods for two day without food or water.
“He didn’t say how he was able to survive and all that,†Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes told WCTI. “He did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear that was with him.â€
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Hundreds of people joined in the search to help find him, including some 600 volunteers and members of the FBI, NCIS and US Marine Corps.
Authorities are still working determine what exactly happened, but suspect Casey was moving around in the woods while they searched for him. Hughes added that at no point did officer believe the toddler had been abducted.
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http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-news-casey-hathaway-hung-out-with-bear-missing-north-carolina-20190126-story.html