It’s every parents worst nightmare.
Two friends, Jayden Bullard (age 9) and Sheldon Higginson (age 8) didn’t return when recess was over at Northumberland Hills Public School in Castleton on February 19, 2019.
It was 2:20 and the boys were gone – no one knew where.
Panic sets in and 9-1-1 was called immediately.
But this story has a happy ending with both boys found several hours later around 5 p.m. and returned to their parents at the school who were waiting.
“We’re very thankful that our son is safe,” said Sheldon’s mother, Michelle Higginson said speaking to Today’s Northumberland.
“And we want to thank the community. All the police officers, the (OPP) Emergency Response Team, our friends, our neighbours, our family, our parents, and people we don’t know for coming out and searching for our son.”
“We had family that came from Bowmanville, just when they saw it on social media.”
“It was the worst experience ever,” said Higginson.
Everyone in the community including staff at the school were out looking the boys.
Northumberland OPP members along with a canine unit, Emergency Response Team members, OPP snowmobiles and a OPP helicopter were involved in the search. Members of the Cramahe Fire Department were at the school waiting to be deployed when the boys were found.
It’s still unclear what exactly happened, but the boys ended up 6.5 kilometres from the school.
Brandie Hays was at home when her daughter was dropped off by the school bus and came running in yelling, “Sheldon is missing Mommy!”
“So I looked online and there was tons of posts about them missing so we left right away.”
“I figured the police were definitely looking close to the school so I figured we would check Dingman Road and that area. We stopped by Pogue Road and looked for tracks. Then my son (James Harrington age 16) said check Valley Road area and there they were,” said Hays.
The two boys were spotted off the road and playing in a field.
“Where they were playing, they were quite a way back and unless you were looking for them, you would have just drive by.”
“It’s a fairly wooded area so unless you were going slow you would miss them.”
Police arrived at the same time and a person on a side-by-side gave the officer a ride to meet the two boys. They were walked back to the road and given a ride to the school at approximately 5 p.m.
Superintendent of Education for Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, Shelly Roy said, “safety is the first priority.”
“The weather is not conducive to the kids being outside.”
When Roy was informed the two students were missing, “everything runs through your mind which is pretty scary.”
But once found, it was a sense of relief from everyone.
“It’s an amazing community of people that come together.”
“The community itself should be extremely proud of the fact they support one another and treat each other like family.”
Higginson told Today’s Northumberland, Sheldon got more than a few hugs before being tucked into bed.
The parents have a meeting at the school on Wednesday to try and determine what exactly happened.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
