An 8-year-old boy who went missing in a Michigan state park has been found, police say.
Michigan State Police reported on Monday afternoon that 8-year-old Nante Niemi of Hurley, Wisconsin was found by a volunteer.
The police say that the volunteer found Nante under a log about two miles from the family’s campsite. Officials say that the 8-year-old was there the entire time. It is reported that Nante is in good health and reunited with his family.
UPDATE - Nante has been located safe and has been reunited with his family! A volunteer searching found him under/near a log, where'd he been the entire time, about two miles from the campsite. He appears to be in good health!
— MSP Eighth District (@MSPEighthDist) May 8, 2023
State police coordinated a search effort Monday morning for the Wisconsin boy who went missing over the weekend in a Michigan state park.
Officials reported on Monday via Twitter that several resources were in place to find Nante.
The Wakefield Post is coordinating the search for a missing 8-year-old in the Porcupine Mountains. Several resources are in place including K9, aviation, and search and rescue. PIO resources are enroute to the scene as well to assist with media and public information. pic.twitter.com/ITjEuIcga0
— MSP Eighth District (@MSPEighthDist) May 8, 2023
Upper Michigan Source stated that the 8-year-old was camping with his family in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Upper Peninsula’s western area. His mother, Jessica Buerger, told Upper Michigan Source that her son disappeared Saturday afternoon.
Michigan State Police confirmed to the Upper Peninsula NBC affiliate that a group of family members were camping in the state park. Half of the family went fishing, and the other half went to collect firewood. Nante was asked to return to a nearby campsite and left his family to walk back around 1 p.m. on Saturday. Officials say that was when he was last seen. A report of him being missing was issued around 6 p.m. the same day.
There are 60,000 acres within Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.