Reported by Stephanie Coueignoux and Janelle Jordan
DELEON SPRINGS -- A 5-year-old boy is safe and sound after a more than 6-hour search in the woods of Volusia County.
It all began after young Kaleb Carreli chased his dog into the woods near his home on Place Pond Road Thursday night. The dog got away, and Kaleb ended up lost.
Deputies then launched a massive search, and finally found Kaleb just before midnight.
Searchers said the boy was in a thick underbrush less than a mile away from home.
Greg Malloy, the volunteer who found Kaleb, said the boy was calling out for help, but was more concerned about his dog.
“That’s all it was, worried about the dog and just wanted to get out of there. That’s all he did,” Malloy said. “I just did what everybody else I hope would do if it was my kid out there.”
“He was in all happy spirits.” Malloy said, confirming that Kaleb was not crying when he was found. “He was just following his dog. That was it.”
Kaleb was taken to the hospital as a precaution. When the family finally returned home Friday morning, their dog, Lexi, was waiting for them after finding his own way back.
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