AIDEN BELL - 3.5 yo - Osage (E of Springdale) AR

Osage AR ---- Officials in Carroll County are searching for a missing boy who is autistic. Aiden Bell, a
3½-year-old child has been missing from the area of County Road 924 near
Osage since about 4:30 p.m. Monday, police said. The boy was last
seen wearing overalls and a white shirt with orange sleeves.Authorities
have called helicopters to continue the search Monday night.Anyone
who may have spotted child should call 911.No further
information was immediately released.

http://www.kspr.com/news/local/91602934.html

UPDATE: Carroll County, Arkansas Toddler found Dead
By Doug Magditch

Story Created:
Apr 20, 2010 at 10:41 AM CDT
Story Updated:
Apr 20, 2010 at 6:38 PM CDT
(Osage, AR) -- Just after 1pm Tuesday, a National Park Service
Employee found the body of 3-year-old Aiden Bell on the bank of Osage Creek.
Aiden went missing Monday afternoon, when he wandered off from his
grandparents house, near Osage, Ark.
Just after 1pm Tuesday, a National Park Service Employee found the body
of 3-year-old Aiden Bell on the bank of Osage Creek, less than a mile
from his Grandparents' home.
"Everybody in the church has been praying," says Arlis McGehee.
Praying and searching, in the hopes of a rescue. Hundreds of volunteers
came to lend a hand.
"We have been overwhelmed with the number of volunteers that have
responded," says Sheriff
Bob Grudek of Carroll Co Arkansas.
"It's kind of cool in a way, because they all want to help, but it's
kind of nerve-racking," says Drew Johnson, a cousin of Aiden's.
"I'm just hoping they'll find him quick. I'm hoping they'll call
anytime. You can't imagine that until something like that happens. So,
we're just hoping and praying that they find him very quickly," says
McGehee.
People were out on foot, horse, and canoe.
As the day wore on, a positive outcome became less likely.
The search dogs found tracks, which led them to Osage Creek, where they
found a tragic discovery.
"He was on a slad, which would be a rock, kinda like a low water
crossing," says George Stow-Rains with the Arkansas Forestry Commission.
Aiden is dead, drowned in Osage Creek.
"What probably happened is, he tried to cross the creek and it knocked
him off his feet," says Stow-Rains.
Now the family, and the community that serves as a second family, is
left to mourn their loss.
"It's hard. These searchers will go home thinking they didn't do the
right thing, and they did. I mean, everything went flawlessly. It's just
we didn't get in the right place at the right time quick enough," says
Stow-Rains.
The family told the Carroll County Emergency Management Director Aiden
showed signs of autism, but he was never diagnosed with autism. The
director says it's likely a 3-year-old's curiosity took him too far, and
he got lost.
We're told there were no signs of foul play, that this was likely only
an accident.

http://arkansasmatters.com/content/news/fulltext?cid=308211

Oh what a tragic outcome surely somebody must have seen this toddler walking along on his own as he was found 3/4's of a mile from the house.

My heart does go out to the family, this is such a tragic event.
Now, saying that, I want to know why in the hell wasn't somebody watching this child? Why o why are babies allowed to be outside or for that matter, inside by themselves? Haven't people learned anything from the news on other children wandering away or being abducted?
So very sad. When will people with children, especially toddlers in the house, realize that the child is their priority? The housework will wait, the tv shows will wait, the telephone calls will wait--the first & highest priority is watching that child.
RIP Aiden.