A six-year-old boy is now safe after police, SES and locals spent 18 hours searching near Beechworth when he disappeared from his family’s Wooragee property about 5pm Wednesday.
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11.45am: The discovery came just after police wrapped up a press conference, detailing how the boy went missing.
Superintendent Paul O’Halloran said Ben was outside playing with a cricket bat when he disappeared.
They expected that if he did see emergency services calling out for him, he would come forward.
11.30am: Great news – missing Ben Dean has been located safely on McFeeters Road. He is being assessed my paramedics, but appears to be in good condition.
Police will accompany the boy to Albury Hospital. He is said to be mildly hypothermic following his night out in freezing conditions.
11am: Beechworth resident Sarah Stamm is at Beechworth Town Hall coordinating offers from community volunteer to help in the search.
“It’s just people getting to chat and talk because everyone is really worried about this boy,” she told The Border Mail.
“He’s six years old, he’s got Down syndrome, he’s out there in the wet and the cold.
“It was torrential rain last night.”
The numbers of volunteers are being passed onto police, to alleviate pressure on officers and search parties.
10:40am: Police are expected to address the media at 11.15am outside the Beechworth Police Station. There is a possibility Ben's family will join them.
Myrtleford couple Billie Bowmaker and Matthew Bentley were among hundreds to join the search on Thursday morning.
Miss Bowmaker said, as a mother, she held great fears for the boy and hoped to continue helping until 3pm.
She had heard from other crew members the Ben is an energetic boy, with the ability to cover lots of ground.
The valley terrain is rocky and wet. It is covered with small crevices, nooks and crannies.
Miss Bowmaker also expressed concern over the old mine shafts in the area.
9.50am: Beechworth Police have asked anyone wishing to support the search effort for missing boy Ben to join the community at Beechworth Town Hall.
9am: Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the search was "intense".
"The concern is the waterways around Beechworth," he said.
"The community would be very concerned and that's something ... [they] will rally around."
The police airwing was called-in to assist with the search.
Crews were continuing to look around the family’s 90-hectare property, which included several dams within the search area.
UPDATE 7am:
The search is continuing Thursday morning for missing six-year-old Ben Dean from Beechworth.
The boy’s concerned parents contacted police after he went missing from their Chiltern Road address.
Police, SES and CFA members conducted a search of their large rural property but failed to find the high functioning boy, who has Down syndrome.
An incident police operations centre has been established at Beechworth Police Station and the search is ongoing.
Additional resources such as the air wing, K9 dog squad and search and rescue are assisting local police.
Police have released an image of Ben in the hope the public can assist in bringing him home safely.
Anyone who sees Ben is urged to contact the Beechworth Police Station on (03) 5728 1032.
UPDATE 11.30pm:
Conditions had worsened last night as a search for a missing six-year-old boy continued.
Heavy rain hampered search efforts but a witness on the scene said there were “people everywhere”, as emergency services rallied all available resources to help find missing Ben.
EARLIER:
Police, SES and locals are involved in a search near Beechworth for a missing six-year-old boy.
The boy’s mother shared a post to the Beechworth community facebook page appealing for anyone in the Woolshed Falls and Wooragee areas to look out for her missing son.
Ben, 6, has Down syndrome and so might not react quickly or respond to calls, she said.
He was last seen on the family’s farm opposite Woolshed Cabins at 5pm.
He is described as blond, about 120cm tall, wearing a red polar fleece jumper and navy blue track pants and Blundstone boots.
Anyone with information is asked to call triple-0.
It is believed a police dog unit and helicopter have been called in to assist with the search.
More news as it comes to hand.
