Search for SLO County boy swept away in floodwaters continues despite rain, sheriff says

Rain didn’t deter the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office from continuing its search Friday for a missing San Miguel boy.

The search for 5-year-old Kyle Doan, a kindergartner at Lillian Larsen Elementary School, entered its fifth day on Friday.

Doan was on his way to school on Monday morning with his mother, Lillian Larsen Elementary special education teacher Lindsy Doan, when their vehicle became trapped in the San Marcos Creek

Lindsy Doan was able to escape the floodwaters with the help of neighbors, but Kyle disappeared in the current.

The Sheriff’s Office has led the search from the beginning.

Earlier in the week it was joined by about 200 personnel, including more than 100 California National Guard members, as well as drone operators, dive team members, search and rescue team members and K9 units from the Grover Beach Police Department, Cal Fire, and Ventura, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, Santa Clara and Kern County sheriff’s offices.

However, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office was the sole agency conducting the search on Friday, agency spokesperson Tony Cipolla said.

“At this time, outside agencies and the National Guard have concluded their assistance,” Cipolla said.

“The search is being conducted in extremely challenging conditions with mud and debris hampering the efforts,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday. “But this is a comprehensive effort to search every brush pile and area of debris.”

At a prayer event held Thursday evening in San Miguel, Lindsy Doan said she is thankful for the search efforts by law enforcement officials and community members.

“We’re so thankful for all of you,” she said. “You have been incredible going out to search. I can’t thank you guys enough.”

This story was originally published January 13, 2023 at 11:22 AM.

Mackenzie Shuman

The Tribune

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Mackenzie Shuman primarily writes about SLO County education and the environment for The Tribune. She’s originally from Monument, Colorado, and graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in May 2020. When not writing, Mackenzie spends time outside hiking and rock climbing.