How far would you have to run to be out of sight in this park? In all the photos posted it looks like a long flat trail around a lake.
The only thing that I can think of, being a person who hikes and walks through lots of parks and trails myself, is that perhaps there was two scenarios that may have occurred:
1. There could have been a curve in the path, to which if Maddox and the jogger ran quickly around it, the father could have lost sight and was frantically looking side to side of the trail, making sure that Maddox didn't go into the woods and off of the trail.
2. At a park I was recently walking with hubby in New York, there was a gorgeous 2 mile path all around the lake, however, there were also several areas to which there were more paths (a fork in the road, so to speak- you could either stay on the same path going around the lake or take another one that veered off into a path that went into the woods). Many walkers and joggers went onto the wooded path while we stayed on the same path as the lake, as we were not locals and seeing that it was getting dark out, we didn't dare venture off into the woods because we weren't sure where the path lead.
I do not know the lay out of this park that Maddox and his father and friend were at, but I am wondering if there was a fork at one point, that perhaps Maddox went on one path and the father and friend kept on the same path, thinking he was still on the same path? Especially if it was near the water, the father would probably stay on that path, in case Maddox might attempt to go swimming- I can understand that reasoning, especially with kids who love the water- all of mine did at his age, and that was always the first place we would look when our little Houdini took off twice on us, and she certainly was by the water one time, getting ready to go swimming, and another time she was happily diving into the campground pool, to which she was smart enough to follow another family into the pool area, so no one thought anything of her being there, as they assumed she was part of that family that came in- she was Maddox's age when she pulled that hair graying and hair pulling stunt!