BELOIT, Kan. — An overnight search for a missing toddler ended in tragedy early Friday morning when the child was discovered unresponsive in a nearby creek, according to the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office.
The emergency began late Thursday night, June 4, 2026. At approximately 8:45 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a rural residence northwest of Beloit in the 2100 block of 290th Road after receiving a report of a missing two-year-old boy.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, local authorities quickly mobilized a rescue effort. Multiple agencies, first responders, and volunteers from several surrounding areas rushed to assist in combing the rural terrain.
Despite the exhaustive search efforts, the operation took a devastating turn a few hours later. At approximately 1:38 a.m. on Friday, June 5, searchers located the toddler unresponsive in a water-filled creek close to the family home.
The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office expressed profound grief over the outcome in a statement released Friday morning.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and all of our community during this difficult time,” the sheriff’s office said, thanking the dozens of first responders and community volunteers who aided in the search.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the child, and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is ongoing.
