Sheriff identifies 5-year-old SLO County boy lost in floodwaters, as search resumes
The SLO County Sheriff’s Office identified the 5-year-old San Miguel boy who was swept away by floodwaters on Monday, as it resumed search operations in the area.
The Sheriff’s Office identified the child as Kyle Doan, public information officer Tony Cipolla said in a news release.
Doan, a kindergartner at Lillian Larsen Elementary School, was last seen Monday morning near San Miguel when he and his mother became trapped in floodwaters. Bystanders were able to rescue her, but Kyle disappeared in the swift current.
“A break in the intense storms is allowing today’s search, which will involve all available resources of the Sheriff’s Office including the USAR (Underwater Search and Rescue) Team and air operations,” Cipolla said in the release.
The search for Doan was discontinued Monday after around five hours due to poor weather conditions, Cipolla said in the release.
Conditions are still dangerous, the release said, as water levels remain high and fast.
“The public is strongly cautioned not to conduct self-initiated searches and put themselves in harm’s way and become a victim requiring resources that would otherwise be used for searching,” Cipolla added
Doan was last seen wearing a black puffer jacket with a red liner, blue jeans and blue and gray Nike tennis shoes, and has short, dirty blond hair and hazel eyes, the release said. He is 4 feet tall and weighs 52 pounds.
San Miguel Joint Union School District superintendent provides statement
Karen Grandoli, superintendent of San Miguel Joint Union School District, said the Doan family gave the school district permission to release their child’s name and photo.
Grandoli said the Doan family is holding out hopes that Kyle might be located alive.
“San Miguel is a small, very close-knit community and everyone has the family in their thoughts and prayers during this unfathomable tragedy,” Grandoli said. “Staff is beginning to organize support for the family.”
Lindsy Doan, Kyle’s mother, is a special needs teacher at Lillian Larsen.
Grandoli said the school will have counselors on campus to support students and staff when the school reopens.
The district is aiming to reopen tomorrow, Grandoli said, and is closed today due to severe weather and dangerous road conditions.
This story was originally published January 10, 2023 at 11:36 AM.
