After a massive search, a missing two-year-old in the north-western US has been found by a volunteer diver.
Dane Paulsen was found dead by a volunteer diver on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) in the Siletz River in Oregon, 10 days after the toddler disappeared from his family's yard.
Dane was found nearly 5km downstream from the Paulsen family's property, north of Siletz, Oregon, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said. Siletz is along Oregon's coast, about 200km south of Portland.
The body of missing toddler Dane Paulsen, inset, was found in a river in the north-western US on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Lincoln County Sheriff's Office) (Supplied)
"Our thoughts are with the family, who are facing an unbearable sorrow," Lincoln County Sheriff Adam Shanks said. "We are deeply grateful for the support and dedication shown by the search teams and our communities throughout this difficult time, though we wish it was under different circumstances."
Hundreds of volunteers and emergency responders from multiple state and federal law enforcement agencies gathered to search for the boy using specialised equipment, dogs, drones and watercraft after his disappearance early this month
Search and recovery diving instructor Juan Heredia, founder of non-profit Angels Recovery Dive Team, said he found the boy after a two-hour dive in the freezing river.
"A lot of people put a lot of faith in me," said Heredia, when asked why he felt moved to help the Paulsen family. "I want to help the family have closure."
Heredia said he found Dane at the bottom of the river near a tree, in an area previously searched by law enforcement, according to local media. Heredia spoke to Dane's mother after finding him.
"She came to me and said 'thank you' and we started crying together," said Heredia.
"(It was) a terrible moment with no words."