Found Deceased NE - Avi Gurung, 6, possibly fell in river near Omaha N.P. Dodge Park; 3 Aug 2021

[imstilla.grandma]

Omaha Police said they were dispatched there shortly before 6 p.m. Police said the child was playing around the nearby Missouri River when he went missing.

"There's a strong possibility the child fell into the water," said Lt. Shane Myers with the Omaha Police Department.

As of 8 p.m., the boy has not yet been located. Myers said authorities will search as long as they can to help locate him.

Myers said there was conflicting information on what the boy was wearing. At first, police were told it was a blue shirt and blue shorts but other family members told police he had a yellow shirt and red shorts.

Myers said the water in the Missouri River is "deceivingly fast," and that creates "great concern."
Google Maps

https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/police-looking-for-missing-child-near-np-dodge-park

An Omaha Police Lt. said there was a call at 5:54 p.m. of a six-year-old missing. More into the investigation, officers found out the child was playing near the water when they went missing and say it’s a strong possibility that the child fell into the water.

People have searched on foot, in the woods, and around the water for the child but the main focus is in the river.
The Omaha Fire Department, Council Bluffs Fire Department, and Douglas County Sheriff’s all came with boats searching in the water. An able-1 helicopter was in the air searching the banks of the water.
OPD: Missing 6-year-old possibly fell in river near N.P. Dodge Park

 

[Wild Rose]

Praying.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Rescue teams searched for about three hours before stopping due to nightfall. The search will resume Wednesday morning.

At 5:54 p.m. Tuesday, Omaha police were called to the park with the report of the missing child, Lt. Shane Myers said.

Police said the boy was at the park for a family outing and was last seen playing in the river. Family members told police that they lost track of him and were unsure whether he had run off or was in the water.

Three boats belonging to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, Eppley Fire and Rescue and the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department were searching for the boy in the water.

ABLE-1, the police helicopter, searched by air, while officers on foot searched the dense woods around the park but found no sign of the boy. For that reason, Myers said, the search will continue to focus on the water.

“We’re pretty confident that he didn’t run off into the trees, and that he’s in the water somewhere,” he said.
Missing 6-year-old boy may have fallen in Missouri River

 

[imstilla.grandma]

KETV NewsWatch 7 spoke with the boy's parents Wednesday morning. They sent us pictures of their son, Avi Gurung, and said he was last seen wearing the clothing pictured below:

OPD helicopter ABLE-1 flew over the area for over two hours Tuesday night, searching the river and the trees.

"That water is deceivingly fast, the undercurrent. So even adults, this isn't the first time this has happened. I mean, it happens to adults so especially with a child, there's great concern for them," he said.

Myers said officers ran into a language barrier when speaking to the boy's family.

Omaha police say the Omaha Fire Department is now in charge of the search. Firefighters tell KETV Newswatch 7 they plan to be back out on the river Wednesday morning searching with sonar.
Water rescue teams search river for missing 6-year-old at NP Dodge Park

 

[azure]

Myers said officers ran into a language barrier when speaking to the boy's family.

So get a translator? Telling the media you ran into a language barrier seems like a cop out. (No pun intended).

 

[moonriverfarm]

Another child not watched by adults. Makes me sick.

 

[GraceG]

So get a translator? Telling the media you ran into a language barrier seems like a cop out. (No pun intended).

His last name is a name from Nepal. I could see where it might be hard to communicate if that was the family's native language but you'd think that at least one of the family could speak English moderately well as it was said in the media area linked that the boy could speak it.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Authorities continue search for missing 6-year-old near N.P. Dodge Park

 

[Allynator]

Tragic.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Crews search Missouri River for missing 6-year-old boy - KLKN-TV

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The boy, missing since Tuesday evening, was last seen in a cove near the edge of the Missouri River near his family’s large gathering. The family was tending to two other children when Avi went missing.

He’s described as an Asian boy 3 feet, 1 inch tall, weighing 48 pounds and was last seen wearing a yellow shirt with a design on the front of it, red shorts, and a blue jacket. There may also be a language barrier, though Bonacci said the boy does speak a little bit of English.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office had a boat in the Missouri River on Thursday morning while police used drones to areas along the river banks. Council Bluffs Fire Department also brought in sonar to help with the search.

“What we’re going to do today is we are going to use our sonar to do sight imaging,” said CBFD Capt. Jack Gangwish. “Sight-imaging seems to be what we use to have our best luck with locating any kind of structure or anything down in the water that might stick out that we want to take a chance to look at. We take our time, and do what we can to help with going certain speeds and trying to find and pick out objects that may be valuable as a target we want to look at.”

The family was not seen at the park Thursday, but police said they are cooperating with search efforts.

Officers also closed off the trail access to the park around noon Wednesday as Council Bluffs and Eppley fire departments as well as DCSO personnel were searching the river, including areas further downstream.
Authorities continue search for missing 7-year-old Omaha boy

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Authorities find body of missing 7-year-old Omaha boy - KLKN-TV

I haven’t read it yet. I just can’t yet. I’m following too many missing boy cases and I’m afraid this one is just the beginning of a cascade of tears.

eta: I knew I shouldn’t have read it. I stopped when I read he was found under a bridge with a child’s toy nearby. Oh ****!! Feel free to fill in whatever four letter word you choose. So very very sad.

 

[Woodberry]

Authorities find body of missing 7-year-old Omaha boy - KLKN-TV

I haven’t read it yet. I just can’t yet. I’m following too many missing boy cases and I’m afraid this one is just the beginning of a cascade of tears.

I just saw the Avi's thread come up in the forum. I had friends I used to visit when they lived in Omaha. I was so hoping for positive news. So heartbreaking!

 

[Razz]

Authorities find body of missing 7-year-old Omaha boy - KLKN-TV

I haven’t read it yet. I just can’t yet. I’m following too many missing boy cases and I’m afraid this one is just the beginning of a cascade of tears.

eta: I knew I shouldn’t have read it. I stopped when I read he was found under a bridge with a child’s toy nearby. Oh ****!! Feel free to fill in whatever four letter word you choose. So very very sad.

I'll take your word for it. I won't read it. How terribly sad and tragic.

 

[slowpoke]

Another child not watched by adults. Makes me sick.

Sometimes, a person can be watching the child but look away just for a second or two, and that’s all it takes, if that’s the moment the child happens to go under the water.

IMO maybe additional precautions (besides a designated watcher) need to be be taken when children are around water—maybe wear a life vest, too.

This is so sad.