Child Disappears into Snowy Wilderness—Dad Stunned by Unusual Noise Hours Later

The first two hours of the search were a blur of blinding white light and jagged shadows. Every stump looked like a crouching child; every gust of wind sounded like a distant cry for "Daddy." Mathew led his team through the "Thicket of Thorns," a dense patch of brush that Mike usually avoided because it scratched his legs.