North Carolina Police K-9 Helps Rescue Missing Teenager With Special Needs During Winter Storm

A police K-9 with the Gastonia Police Department is being credited with helping locate and rescue a missing 13-year-old boy with special needs during severe winter weather that impacted the Carolinas over the weekend, as reported by The New York Post.

The search took place Saturday night in Gastonia, as a bomb cyclone brought heavy snow, dangerous cold, and blizzard-like conditions to parts of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

Authorities said officers were dispatched after receiving a missing persons alert for a teenage boy with autism who had left his home without proper clothing as temperatures dropped.

#BREAKING: A 13-year-old boy with special needs who got lost in the snow in North Carolina…

…has been RESCUED and FOUND by a police dog named Bo!

Bo was given a piece of the boys clothing and found him in the dark, in the snow.

INCREDIBLE!!!! pic.twitter.com/ssmQddY2Og

— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) February 3, 2026

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Police said the boy was considered to be at serious risk due to his age, medical condition, and the rapidly deteriorating weather.

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Bo, a bloodhound with the Gastonia Police Department, was deployed as part of the search.

According to officials, Bo used a piece of the boy’s clothing to pick up his scent and immediately began tracking through snow-covered terrain alongside his handler, Gastonia Police Sgt. Rowland.

A coordinated response involving the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office and Gastonia Emergency Medical Services established a perimeter around the neighborhood as officers searched the area on foot.

“As Bo continued the snowy track, the child wandered into a secured perimeter and was safely located by GEMS, who spotted the boy walking up to them,” officials said.

Police said the child was found cold but otherwise unharmed and was turned over to medical personnel for evaluation before being reunited with his family.

“This successful outcome was made possible by quick action, strong teamwork, and the dedication of everyone involved—especially a snowy snouted K-9 Bo who performed well in the midst of severe weather,” the police department wrote in a Facebook post shared after the rescue.

“Outstanding work bringing this child home safely,” the department added.

The rescue occurred as much of North Carolina was dealing with significant snowfall from the winter storm system.

Gastonia, located approximately 23 miles west of Charlotte and north of the South Carolina border, received nearly a foot of snow, according to ABC News.

The storm tied Charlotte’s record for the fourth-largest single-day snowfall in recorded history, the outlet reported.

Authorities emphasized that the operation highlighted the importance of trained K-9 units, interagency cooperation, and rapid response during extreme weather conditions.

Officials did not release the name of the child due to privacy concerns.

The Gastonia Police Department said the case remains an example of how specialized resources and teamwork can lead to successful outcomes even under dangerous circumstances.

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