Community Relieved as Missing Marshfield Boy Found Safe After Night in Woods

MARSHFIELD, MA – A massive overnight search concluded with a "happy ending" Wednesday morning after an 8-year-old missing marshfield boy was located alive in the woods of a neighboring town.

Callahan Pierce, who disappeared Tuesday evening, was found approximately 12 hours later in Duxbury, Massachusetts.

According to Marshfield Police Chief Phillip Tavares, the young boy had spent the entire night wandering through dense terrain before being spotted by a local resident.

The Disappearance and Search

The ordeal began around 7:00 PM on Tuesday when Callahan, who was being watched by a babysitter, wandered away from a residence on Moraine Street. Clad only in a black Marshfield sweatshirt and sweatpants as temperatures dipped near freezing, his disappearance sparked an immediate and "massive" response from law enforcement.

The search operation included:

• K-9 Units and ground crews from multiple jurisdictions.

• State Police Air Wing helicopters.

• Drones equipped with infrared technology.

• Hundreds of community volunteers who combed local neighborhoods.

Chief Tavares noted that the boy’s movements made him difficult to track during the night. "He hunkered down during the night. That's why the infrared didn't spot him," Tavares explained during a morning press conference. "When the sun came up, he started traveling again."

A Safe Recovery

The breakthrough occurred Wednesday morning near Hounds Ditch Lane in Duxbury, roughly three miles from where he was last seen. A local homeowner spotted the boy and was able to successfully "coax him out of the woods with food" until officers arrived.

While Callahan was found safe, he was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment for suspected hypothermia due to his prolonged exposure to the cold.

"This was a very scary situation, but it has a happy ending," said Chief Tavares. "We greatly appreciate our community coming together as we always do in difficult times."

Police have confirmed that an investigation into the circumstances of the disappearance remains ongoing, though no foul play is suspected at this time.