LEWISTON – A Lewiston police officer and his tracking dog on Thursday were credited with finding a young autistic boy who had wandered away from his home.

The 3-year-old boy was found chest deep in the water of a brook, according to the Maine Police Canine Association.

It happened at about 2:15 p.m. when police were sent out to the area around Heather Avenue, off Stetson Road, for a report of a child who had wandered away.

“The grandmother who was watching the boy had heard the back door shut,” according to the MPCA Facebook post, “and found that the boy was missing.”

Officer Nate Hood responded to the area with his dog, Ice. 

Ice began tracking across a field near the home, according to the report, and into the woods. Once in the woods, Ice continued tracking down a small trail along the edge of a swamp where he began to pick up a scent, indicating to Hood that the boy was nearby.

“Minutes later the team heard a noise and found the boy chest deep in the water,” according to the MPCA. “The boy was safely returned home where the mother wanted to buy K9 Ice an ice cream for finding her son.”

Lewiston police tracking dog Ice who, with his handler Officer Nate Hood, tracked down a missing boy on Thursday. The boy was found unharmed in a nearby swamp.

Lewiston police tracking dog Ice relaxes with a 3-year-old boy he helped to track down on Thursday. The boy was found unharmed in a nearby swamp.