A 6-Year-Old Vanished Into the Woods, Then Police Noticed What the K-9 Was Doing

A police K-9 named FiasKo helped bring a frightening search for a missing 6-year-old boy to an end after tracking the child through the woods of a Delaware state park.

The boy, who has special needs, was reported missing around 6:51 p.m. on Thursday, August 27, according to New Castle County Police Master Corporal Richard Chambers. He had disappeared inside Brandywine Creek State Park, prompting officers and other searchers to begin looking through the heavily wooded area.

Master Corporal Mary DiGati and her K-9 partner, FiasKo, were given an important clue by the boy’s mother. She handed over one of the child’s Crocs, allowing the Belgian Malinois to get the boy’s scent.

FiasKo quickly began tracking.

Searchers initially noticed what appeared to be footprints heading in the direction the mother had described. But the K-9 appeared to have another idea. Rather than following the visible tracks, FiasKo lowered his nose and pulled DiGati farther into the woods.

The dog continued moving through the trees, making several turns before eventually heading straight toward the area where the boy was found.

After hearing sounds coming from the wooded area, other members of the search team located the child near a pond. He had become muddy and wet during his time outside and was barefoot, but fortunately, he was in good health.

The boy was reunited with his family roughly an hour after he was reported missing.

For DiGati, the search was another example of why K-9 work can be so valuable when someone disappears. Finding children and elderly people is particularly meaningful because dogs can often locate a person when traditional searches have not yet produced an answer.

FiasKo, who celebrated his fifth birthday on July 1, has been working with the New Castle County Division of Police since arriving from Slovakia in 2022. He is trained as a dual-purpose police dog, with certifications for both patrol duties and narcotics detection.

His unusual name also has a story behind it.

According to DiGati, FiasKo was a mischievous puppy who had a habit of destroying things around the house. The department could have changed his name, but officers ultimately decided that it suited his personality.

Away from work, however, FiasKo has become much calmer. He has even developed a close relationship with DiGati’s young daughter.

But once he gets into the police vehicle, his demeanor changes. DiGati says it is almost as if the dog knows immediately that it is time to work.

FiasKo has already helped officers with narcotics investigations, but this search highlighted another important part of his training. For DiGati, using a K-9 to bring a missing child safely back to his family is among the most rewarding parts of the job.

In this case, FiasKo’s nose led searchers through the woods and ultimately to the child they were desperately trying to find.