Just over a year to the day that the young four-year-old boy, Terrell Hunt, was reported missing in the community of Kotlik, his remains have been retrieved from a large water-filled hole in the village.

Young Terrell disappeared on the evening of May 19th, 2014 while out playing with a friend. His parents called the Kotlik Police Department and reported that he had not returned home. At just after 1 am on May 20th, Kotlik Police contacted Alaska State Troopers based in Emmonak.

Troopers from Emmonak, Bethel, Anchorage and St Marys responded to the community to search for the missing boy. Three SAR dog teams were mobilized in Anchorage and traveled to the community as well. A ground and aerial search was initiated and the entire community, as well the river, and a nearby slough was searched extensively.

An organized search was carried out for two weeks with no positive results. Local searchers would continue to look for the missing child throughout the summer and quit only when the area froze up last winter.

Late on Sunday night, at approximately 11:20 pm, Alaska State Troopers were  notified that remains had been found “in a large hole that is always filled with water.”

Troopers responded to the community on Monday and conducted a investigation and determined that the remains were consistent with the description of the young child, including the clothing he was wearing. The child’s remains were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy.

Work continues as the large hole is being completely drained to retrieve additional clothing and any other possible evidence as the investigation continues.

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