Missing 12-year-old boy found alive in woods three days after vanishing

A 12-year-old boy, Lionel Vicente Álvarez, was miraculously found alive after being lost in the dense woods near Susulá, close to Mérida, Mexico, for three days.

An official spotted Lionel on Tuesday, October 29, around midday in the hills surrounding Susulá.

Remarkably, despite his ordeal, he showed no signs of injury or dehydration and was assisted by firefighters and paramedics who confirmed his good health.

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Lionel’s disappearance began on Saturday, October 26, after he left his home in Ciudad Caucel. CCTV last recorded him walking miles into the wilderness.

When he failed to return, Yucatán state authorities issued an Amber Alert on October 30. Emergency services quickly mobilized, deploying two K9 rescue dogs and drones over the expansive area in a race to locate him.

Local residents and Lionel’s anxious family also joined the search, determined to bring him home.

Just minutes after being discovered, Lionel was reunited with his relieved parents, and officials have now launched an investigation to understand what may have transpired during his time alone in the woods.

Adding a layer of mystery, images taken at the time of his rescue show Lionel in a blue T-shirt and shorts, while local media report he was last seen in a dark grey T-shirt with red and green stripes and denim pants.

The Public Security Secretariat later acknowledged the collective efforts in a statement: “The intense efforts of the search team, along with the invaluable support of Ciudad Caucel residents, have paid off.”

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SOURCE: Boy, 12, is found alive in woods three days after disappearance