Boy, 3, miraculously survives after driving toy truck into river and floating downstream for 8 miles

The Daily Mail UK ^ | 7-16-09 | by A Daily Mail Reporter

[rawhide]

A toddler has miraculously survived after he drove his toy jeep into a river and then floated nearly eight miles downstream.

Demetrius Jones, who turned three yesterday, let himself out of his grandmother's holiday trailer while his family slept and took his battery-operated truck down to the Peace River in British Columbia, where he was swept away by the current.

The red miniature Chevrolet Silverado truck flipped over but the boy - who was only wearing a nappy and T-shirt - floated on it, along swirling waters.

When his family woke up and realised he was missing police were called to help search for him, helped by friends, relatives and neighbours.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police joined the hunt. But it was five men in a boat who found Demetrius, nearly three hours after he went missing.

Don Loewen, a nearby town resident who was one of the men on the rescue boat, said: 'We just kept going down the river watching all the log jams and keeping our eyes out for any sign of the car or the boy.

'We spotted something that looked like some rocks or an eagle. The “rocks” were the black tyres of the overturned toy sticking out of the water. And what we thought was an eagle was the little boy’s blond head.'

The men manoeuvred their boat towards where Demetrius was kneeling in the upside-down, half-submerged truck.

Police said the infant seemed oblivious to the danger he had faced.

'He seemed pretty excited to be dealing with the police,' said Constable Jackelynn Passarell said. 'I don’t think he realised the gravity of what had just occurred. He wasn't crying or whimpering or anything,'.

Today, the child was still unfazed by his near-death experience and asked when he could go back on his 'boat'.

[rawhide]

[OB1kNOb]

That boy’s guardian angels sure got a workout that day! Whew!

[notaliberal]

GOD

[Sacajaweau]

Why is this little rabble rouser NOT under someone’s watchful eye?? They were lucky this time!! And I hope they stop letting this kid be a free spirit. He needs a whack on the butt!!

[militant2]

....but...but, that might injure his self esteem!

Militant

[4rcane]

cute story

[r9etb]

Why is this little rabble rouser NOT under someone’s watchful eye?? They were lucky this time!! And I hope they stop letting this kid be a free spirit. He needs a whack on the butt!!

The /s was too obvious to add, right?

[mware]

Amazing. Glad the little tike was unhurt.

I live near the Mullica River in Southern NJ. Every year a guy come down and takes his red convertible amphibious car for rides on the river.

[Axenolith]

8 miles down river on a plastic toy and...

Police said the infant seemed oblivious to the danger he had faced.

Watch, he'll be graduating from some special operations training school in 16 years :-)

[Larry Lucido]

Future Navy Seal here!

[wxgesr]

He needs ritalin, his curiosity must be stopped./s

Thank God for watching over him and all of the other children every day.

[Hot Tabasco]

Why is this little rabble rouser NOT under someone’s watchful eye??

He let himself out of the trailers. I guess kids that age can do that. My dad said that when I was that age and we were living in Germany where my dad was stationed in the army, he said I was constantly climbing the front yard fence at the house and trying to run away down the street..........

[Larry Lucido]

Beat me lol!

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[Little Ray]

Sounds like a normal 3 year old to me...

[scoobysnak71]

Gotta be a FORD!

[scoobysnak71]

OOPs, reread it. Its a Chevy. LOL. (must be why it flipped over) LMAO. Old eyes arent what they used to be. Ok, Load, aim, FIRE! LOL!

[Blood of Tyrants]

Police said the infant seemed oblivious to the danger he had faced.

DUH! YA THINK! Three year olds have absolutely no concept of danger.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Gotta be a FORD!...OOPs, reread it. Its a Chevy. LOL"

If it had been a Jeep Wrangler the kid would have made 15 miles and picked up two babes along the way.

[Sacajaweau]

Had to put a "high lock" on a lot of doors when my kids were little. If you read the article, you'll find this kid as "a history".

Yeh, he's normal!! All kids try "the great escape" at some point!!

[scoobysnak71]

Hehehe

[Calpernia]

[Bigg Red]

Thank God he is alright. Little ones, especially boys, are just so full of life.

When one of my nephews was about this age, he was spending the night at my house for the first time. In the middle of the night, he woke up and missed his mother. He let himself out of the house and went across the street to his own house! His parents and I did not know until we got up that morning. Scared the bejaysus out of me!

I do wonder, though, what is up with the motorized vehicles for children? We have too many fat kids as it is. They need to be pedaling.

[Pan_Yan]

Ping. Don’t tie the kids up after reading this.

[Sacajaweau]

Two little runaways (4 & 6) wound up on my step one day. They lived 8 houses away. They were running away!!

Mom had provided a nap sack and lunch.

Now, they were completely confused...They didn't know anyone further than my house....They would be heading into uncharted territory!!!

It was decision time....go North to the unknown....or go back to Mom (that lady with the smile and a hug).

[Wally_Kalbacken]

“When his family woke up...”

[mad_as_he$$]

That Earl is one busy angel.

[Travis T. OJustice]

OOPs, reread it. Its a Chevy. LOL.

It's a fake Chevy, if it were real, it would have sunk LIKE A ROCK.

[Sacajaweau]

I saw it...The trailer needs a “high up lock”.

[Travis T. OJustice]

If it had been a Jeep Wrangler the kid would have made 15 miles and picked up two babes along the way.

Yeah, a pair of mating lesbians.

[mad_as_he$$]

I know many 23 year olds who have no sense of danger. Most of them are Marines.

[Joe 6-pack]

The term “All Terrain Chicks” is preferred.

[Travis T. OJustice]

LOL!!

[TruthWillWin]

[Calpernia]

THAT is a beauty! How said such a piece of art is in salt water :(

[US_MilitaryRules]

Now give him a ticket for no life jacket.

[WOBBLY BOB]

he has a bright future as a cuban refugee.

[TruthWillWin]

And they all leaked.