While Gloria Cooper was having dinner with her partner, her ex-husband had taken their three-year-old on a walk in the forest.
She wasn't aware of any of it. So you can only imagine how devastated she was when she learned that her son Ezra had gone missing...So how did it all happen?
He Went Missing
At approximately 3. PM., the authorities received a call from the boy's father explaining that his three-year-old son had gone missing in the forest.
The rescuers arrived shortly after the call and began searching for the little boy. Still, there were no signs of him.
They Informed Gloria
After hours of searching through the woods, the authorities decided to inform his mother of what had happened.
Gloria couldn't believe what she was hearing and was upset that it took them so long to inform her of her son's disappearance. She got into her car and drove to Stubblefield Lake to search for Ezra.
She Called Her Friends And Family
While she was driving, she called all her close friends and relatives and begged them to help her.
Gloria's sister and her niece, who lived nearby, joined in the search. But was it too late?
They Were Losing Hope
The search for the missing boy continued throughout the night. At 1:00 A.M, Chief of the New Waverly Fire Department, Jason Slot, called for backup.
However, even with over a hundred people searching for Ezra, the situation began to look hopeless.
No Signs Of Ezra
“It was very eerie hearing family members out in the woods calling Ezra’s name in the dark,” volunteer David White said.
The next morning, Ezra still hadn't been found, and Gloria began losing hope.
The Search Continues
The following morning, volunteers and experienced rescuers joined the search.
They covered an area that spanned four miles away for any possible sign of Ezra. More than 600 people were searching for the missing boy, but there were still no signs of him. Was it too late?
They Launched A Boat
TXEQ’s president Tim Miller decided to launch a boat into the lake and scan the water using sensitive sonar equipment.
At that point, Ezra had been missing for almost 24 hours. Would they find him alive?
They Were Losing Hope
The search in the lake turned up nothing, and all hopes of finding the boy were beginning to fade.
No toddler can survive on their own in the forest.
Preparing For The Worst
Tim began to prepare for the worst-case scenario, but he didn't want Gloria to know it.
Little Ezra was somewhere on his own with no food or water. To make matters even worse, it was freezing outside.
Preparing For The Conference
While he was preparing for the conference, some volunteers, including Ezra's 21-year-old cousin, continued to search the area.
Lalaine Dungca refused to give up on the search and was determined to find the little boy.
The Dog Found Something
Suddenly, one of the search dogs began to bark.
The dog had found something just a mile away from the original campsite and alerted the rescuers. The animal began tracking the scent that led the rescuers to a patch of thick grass and bushes.
They Found Ezra
They had found Ezra! He was sleeping in the thick grass. Fortunately, he didn't suffer any injuries and was in great shape.
However, the rescuers and his family didn't want to take any risks, so they rushed him to the Children's Hospital in The Woodlands.
Safe And Sound
"The greatest outcome we could have asked for just happened right now," President of Montgomery Co. Search and Rescue, Steve Degnar, told PEOPLE.
Ezra appeared to be in great shape and was released from the hospital a few days later. He is just happy to be reunited with his family.
An Emotional Moment
"He was quiet, standing in a thorn bush holding a shoe. Then he got emotional when we got to him. It was very emotional for us too," Ezra's cousin, Lalaine Dungca, told KTRK.
The boy's father claims he has no idea what happened to his son. What do you think of this bizarre case?