Lost Utah Scout Brennan Hawkins Found Alive

Brennan Hawkins, an 11-year-old Utah boy, has been found alive by searchers on horseback about 5 miles from where he was last seen leaving a rock-climbing wall at Bear River Boy Scout camp last Friday. Over 1000 volunteers had combed the rural wilds of the Unita mountains in Utah and Wyoming in hopes of finding the boy.

Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds said the boy "did not talk much and was not in the mood to give details." The boy was transported to Primary Children's Medical Center for evaluation. Edmunds also said that the boy was extremely dehydrated, hungry, and exhausted.

The search took crews into some of the most remote parts of the area. The Utah Highway Patrol assisted in the search and used horses, dogs and a helicopter in the search. Edmunds said that the search benefited from the good weather and that the actual individual who found Hawkins wanted to remain anonymous.

Bob Hawkins, the boy's uncle, reported to the media that the boy is in "very good condition," and the family is "absolutely thrilled at the outcome of the situation." Other family members speaking to reporters thanked volunteers, officials, and the media for the part they played in finding the boy.



Emergency Official Joshua Gilbert reported to the media that the "boy walked quite a distance to Lily Lake." The lake is several miles from the camp. Details about how the boy got to the site will be forthcoming.

Last August, another Scout, 12-year-old Garrett Bardsley, disappeared in the same area and is believed dead.