A two-year-old Oregon boy named Dane Paulsen went missing on March 1 and was last seen playing in his yard. An 11-day search has finally concluded and, unfortunately, Dane's body was found at a local river, just three miles away from his home.
Videos by Wide Open Country
According to a
press release issued by Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, police found the deceased body of Dane Paulsen in the Siletz River. He was located around three miles downstream from where he was last seen.As per the sheriff's office, it was Angels Recovery Dive's Juan Heredia who helped the Paulsen family with his dive services. Heredia was escorted by a local river area and began his search downstream from where authorities had been searching.
At this time, police are processing the scene and are working with the Lincoln County Medical Examiner's Office. No further details have been made available at this time as it is an ongoing investigation.
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office offered their condolences and sympathies to the Paulsen family for their loss. Dane's loss has impacted the entire community who had come together in an effort to find him alive.
"Our thoughts are with the family, who are facing an unbearable sorrow," Shanks wrote. "We are deeply grateful for the support and dedication shown by the search teams and our communities throughout this difficult time, though we wish it was under different circumstances."
Search Details
On March 2, 2025,
an update mentioned an unknown vehicle and an adult male. They were seen at a nearby bridge from the Paulsen residence about 30 minutes before Dane went missing. Authorities were able to locate the man and vehicle. However, after further investigation, both the vehicle and the man were determined to not be a point of interest.The sheriff's office talked dearly about Dane Paulsen, calling him "fearless." "Dane is friendly and fearless, and is comfortable around strangers and water, but cannot swim," the sheriff's office wrote. "Dane is known to love water and vehicles."
That very same update stated that the circumstances surrounding Dane's disappearance did not meet the Amber Alert system criteria. Moreover, it was said at the time that there was no evidence found that could suggest any criminal actions in relation to Dane going missing. It is still unclear if that has changed after his body was found at Siletz River.
