Mississippi Police Hunt for Man Who Abandoned 5-Year-Old Son In The Woods

Authorities are searching for a man from Greene County, Mississippi, accused of abandoning his 5-year-old son in the woods.

Sheriff Jody Ashley of the neighboring Wayne County informed NBC and ABC affiliated television station, WDAM-TV on Monday the manhunt for 32-year-old Richard Dearman was in progress. She added Dearman told his son on Oct. 18 to hide by a tree because the “law was behind him.”

“He told him he thought the law was behind him. They would turn down a dirt road; they would get out the vehicle way in the woods in a wooded area. He would tell him to stand by a tree and wait and he would be back to get him," she said.

The Wayne County Police Department said the child woke up confused, cold and alone 24 hours later, only to find his father gone. He eventually walked out of the woods by following the sound of a barking dog in a house nearby. Authorities said the boy had walked nearly a mile in the wilderness before reaching a home in the Brewertown community situated on the Greene-Wayne County line.

Ashley shared her disapproval and talked about the number of things that could have happened to the child while he was wandering the woods.

"It makes you mad he would do something like this. There are a lot of things that could have happened to this child in the woods. I don't know a history of drug arrests with this man or not, we are checking everything, but we are cutting warrants for him now," she said.

The sheriff also shared the description of Dearman with the public after police recovered his truck at the place where he had dropped off his son.

Ashley said, “He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with red and black gym shorts. He has green eyes, brown hair, and a goatee.” She added he was 5'4".

Reports stated Dearman would face child endangerment and other charges. The police asked the public to contact them on 601-735-2323 if they have any information about Dearman's whereabouts.

Another similar incident occurred in Richardson, Texas, when 3-year-old Sherin Mathews went missing October 7. Initial reports suggesteded Sherin, who was adopted from an Indian orphanage, went missing after her father Wesley Mathews sent her outside about 100 feet from their home as punishment for not drinking milk.

Reports also stated when Wesley found his daughter was missing, he waited nearly five hours to inform the authorities.

Police in Richardson revealed Sunday they found a body during search efforts near Spring Valley Road and Bowser Road in a culvert. USA Today reported Tuesday the police confirmed the body belonged to Sherin after examining the dental records.