THOMAS BOWMAN - 6 yo (1957) - Altadena CA

DEVILS GATE LAKE DRAGGED FOR BOY

Land Hunt Fails To Locate Youth

Star News
Mon, March 25, 1957
Pasadena California

Water behind Devil's Gate Dam was being dragged today in an effort to find a trace of 8-year-old Tommy Bowman, who has been missing since 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon.

Grappling operations started after volunteer rescue teams failed to find the Redondo Beach lad in the rugged foothills near Arroyo Seco Ranger Station.

RAFT SPOTTED

Altadena Sheriff's deputy John R. Hogan, liaison officer between the sheriff's station and the volunteer rescue units, requested the dragging operations today after he had spotted a raft that could have been used by the boy on the waters that reach a depth of 40 feet in some places.

Today, two sisters, students at Audubon School, positively identified a picture of the missing youth as the child they saw at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, approximately one half hour after he was discovered missing while on a hike with his father, Eldon, and several others.

Kimberly and Dede Gunn told rescue workers they had seen Tommy at the entrance to the ranger station and he was crying.

DIRECT OPERATIONS.

Capt. Fred Walker of Pasadena Police Department and Battallion Chief Ollie Pederson of the County Fire Department are supervising the grappling operations crew consisting of members of the county and Pasadena fire departments and the Pasadena police.

Meantime, ground rescue work continued as men on foot and horseback beat brush and tramped the rugged terrain as far north as El Prieto Canyon in their search for the boy.

An air hunt was called off this morning after a helicopter piloted by Capt. sewell Groggers of the Sheriff's Aero Squadron spent 7 1/2 hours yesterday, circling the area.

Captain Griggers spotted a child's jacket from the air but the spark of hope was short lived. Men on foot hiked to the area only to find the jacket belonged to a young fisherman, not to Tommy.

The missing lad's father remained today in rescue headquarters at the ranger station, where he continued to praise the efforts of the rescue squads.

" I can't say enough in praise of them for their help so far." Bowman said.

MOTHER SENT HOME

Mrs. Bowman was too upset to remain on the scene and was sent to her mother's home in Burbank, where she was given a sedative.

Tommy and his parents had been visiting Mrs. Bowman's sister, Mrs. Gordon Wicks, Canyon Ridge, Altadena, when the group decided on a hike through the foothills.

The party included Tommy, his father, a sister Janice,5, a brother John, 4, , Wick and the Wick's daughters, Christine, 8, and Maureen, 5. They told Altadena sheriff's deputies that Tommy ran ahead on the trail and rounded a bend. When the rest of the party came to the bend Tommy was nowhere in sight.

Except for the Gunn girls who saw him about a half hor later, no trace of Tommy has been found since.

Hogan said he learned today from Bowman that the boy had two teeth pulled Saturday morning.

"It's possible," Hogan said, "That Tommy had a hemorhage and fainted from loss of blood. If he's still in those mountains, we'll find him."

El Prieto and Millard Canyons were scoured thoroughly yesterday but a renewed search was being conducted in Millard Canyon after fresh footprints were found this morning.

Tommy was described as 4 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 47 pounds and has reddish brown hair. He was wearing a plaid shirt, blue jeans and brown shoes when he disappeared.

Periodic checks are being made at the Bowman home, 1209, S. Irene, Redondo Beach, on the off-chance that the boy might have returned there.