March 1, 2025: Dane Paulsen Missing Child in Siletz, Oregon

• 4:25 PM: A 2-year-old Dane Paulsen, Oregon boy was reported missing to Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office 
• Dane Paulsen disappeared just before 4:25 p.m. while playing out of sight of his parents in the front yard of their home near milepost 21 on Siletz River Highway in Siletz, Oregon, a small city near the Siletz River.

Based on the information Mother provide in the Facebook post: Post

• Time the child went missing: Around 4:00 PM on March 1, 2024
• Time the car was last seen: 4:00 PM on Siletz River Highway, milepost 20

Both the child and the gold station wagon (approx. 1996 model, tinted windows) were last seen around the same time and location.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office:

Incident Details: 

• Dane was last seen playing in the yard of his residence before he disappeared.
• He wore a gray fuzzy hoodie with ears, black pants, and blue and white shoes.
• He has brown hair and green eyes. 

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said

“Dane is friendly, fearless, and comfortable around strangers and water but cannot swim.” “Dane is known to love water and vehicles.”

Search Efforts:

Emergency personnel immediately mobilized, including the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Siletz Valley Fire, Oregon State Police, Newport Police Department, Lincoln City Police Department, and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue. Search operations actively cover the property and surrounding areas on foot and by air, using drones equipped with cameras and thermal imaging technology.

Vehicle of Interest: 

Authorities have identified a late 1990s gold-colored station wagon as a vehicle of interest. A car matching this description was seen in the area before Dane’s disappearance:

• At 3:55 PM, an unfamiliar adult male and a late-1990s gold-colored station wagon were seen near a bridge close to the Paulsen residence, roughly 30 minutes before Dane went missing. Investigators noted this sighting—the vehicle and person were not known to Dane’s family—as a possible lead in the case.

How You Can Help:

If you have any information regarding Dane’s disappearance or details about a vehicle matching this description, please contact:

• 📞 Tip Line: 541-265-0669
• 📞 Non-Emergency Dispatch: 541-265-0777

Community Response:

• The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office sincerely thanks the approximately 150 community members who have volunteered their time and effort to search for Dane.

Status:

• The active search is ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with relevant information to come forward immediately. Updates will be provided as they become available.
• Dane was last seen wearing a fuzzy, grey hoodie with ears, black pants, and blue and white shoes. He has brown hair and green eyes.

Mother Posted on Facebook: 

Our baby is missing. His name is Dane. He’s 2 years old, but he looks like he’s 3 or 4. He was wearing navy blue shoes with two stars, white socks, black sweats, and a dark blue zip-up hooded fleece with teddy bear ears on the hood. A gold station wagon with approximately 96 tented windows was last seen at 4 p.m. on Siletz River Hwy milepost 20, coming from Lincoln City, 3 miles north of Siletz. It went missing around 4 p.m. today.

March 1, 2025: Disappearance and Initial Response

3:55 PM: 

• An unfamiliar adult male and a late-1990s gold-colored station wagon were seen near a bridge close to the Paulsen residence, roughly 30 minutes before Dane went missing.

4:25 PM:

• Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) deputies responded to a report of a missing 2-year-old boy, Dane Paulsen, at his family’s home near milepost 21 on Siletz River Highway, north of Siletz, Oregon. 
• Dane was last seen playing in the front yard of the residence, and he disappeared after briefly being out of his parents’ sight. At the time he went missing, he was wearing a gray hooded sweater with ears, black pants, and blue-and-white shoes; he has brown hair and green eyes. 
• The sheriff’s office described Dane as “friendly and fearless” and noted that while he loves water, he cannot swim – a detail that raised concern given the home’s proximity to the Siletz River.

Evening:

• Law enforcement and emergency crews immediately launch a search of the property and surrounding area.
• Members of the LCSO, Siletz Valley Fire Department, Oregon State Police, Newport Police, Lincoln City Police, and the LCSO Search and Rescue team converge on the scene to assist. 
• Searchers begin combing the area on foot and deploy aerial drones with thermal imaging cameras to scan the woods and riverbanks in the fading daylight. 
• The local community mobilizes as well – about 150 community members turned out to help search soon after news of Dane’s disappearance spread . Despite extensive ground and air efforts on the first night, no immediate trace of the child is found before search operations are paused late in the night.

March 2, 2025: Expanded Search and Public Alerts

9:00 AM:

• Update The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies continued active search operations in the area and followed up on informational tips for Dane Paulsen throughout the evening of March 2nd and into the morning of March 3rd. These efforts are continuing today with officials completing additional ground, water, and air searches. Additional search-and-rescue teams and volunteers assemble at a staging area to widen the search perimeter.
• The investigation team continues to follow up on tips from community members. Information related to Dane’s disappearance can be reported to the tip line: 541-265-0669 Community members interested in helping with search efforts can continue to report to the staging area during daylight hours.

Community staging area: 

• Elks Toketee Illahee campground, 20590 Siletz Hwy, Siletz, Oregon 97380. Additional updates will be shared via FlashAlert ( https://flashalert.net/id/LCSO) and social media as they become available.
• Once again, we thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our team and the community are working to bring Dane home.

Throughout the Day:

• Hundreds of people join the search effort as it enters its second day.
• Trained search-and-rescue units, law enforcement officers, and community volunteers coordinate in teams to methodically cover the rural terrain by land, water, and air.
• Search teams deploy tracking K-9 units, drones with thermal imaging, as well as boats and dive teams to investigate the Siletz River and nearby bodies of water.
• Agencies from across the region provide support, including Oregon State Police, local police and fire departments, and search-and-rescue teams from neighboring counties (Lane, Clackamas, and Polk) along with specialized units like the Corvallis Mountain Rescue Team and Region 3 K-9 handlers.
• In addition, dozens of investigators from the Lincoln County Major Crime Team and the FBI are on site to follow up on numerous leads, ensuring that no investigative angle is overlooked. 
• At this stage, however, the mission remains a search-and-rescue operation, and officials have not uncovered any evidence of foul play .

Afternoon:

As the day progresses, one major lead is resolved: Acting on a community tip, investigators locate the gold station wagon and interview the adult male driver noted near the bridge.

• After verification, the LCSO announced that the individual and vehicle have been cleared and are “no longer a point of interest” in Dane’s disappearance. This eliminates the earlier suspicions of a possible stranger abduction scenario linked to that car, refocusing efforts back on searching the surrounding environment.

A gold-colored station wagon, initially identified as a vehicle of interest, has since been ruled out.   Investigators emphasized that there is currently no evidence of foul play, and an Amber Alert was not issued because the case does not meet the required criteria.

5:19 PM:

• The community gathered for a prayer and candlelight vigil at 20590 Siletz Highway, Elks Campground.

9:00 PM:

• By Sunday night, the search for two year old Dane Paulsen has entered its second full day with no discovery yet.
• Authorities report that approximately 382 acres of land and 283 miles of trails, riverbanks, and roads have been thoroughly searched at this point . Despite the exhaustive search, no sign of the toddler has been found.
• In a public update, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office explains that Dane’s disappearance does not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert, because there is no evidence of an abduction or other criminal act involved . Investigators reiterate that they have “no evidence at this time to suggest criminal actions” in the case.
• Law enforcement officials thank the volunteers and numerous agencies for their tireless efforts and emphasize that the search will continue as long as needed.
• Plans are made to keep teams in the field through the night and to resume aggressive search operations again Monday morning.

The following resources have been deployed in the initial 24 hours of Dane’s disappearance: 

• 88 Certified Searcher and Rescue Members 
• 4 Watercraft 
• 4 Divers 
•  4 Drones 
•  6 Human Trailing K9s 
•  40 Investigators 
•  138 Community Volunteers 
•  Family resources are being provided by the FBI’s Victim Services Division.

March 3, 2025: 

Overnight into Morning Update: Search crews work through the overnight hours into Monday, maintaining momentum as the operation enters its third day . Professional responders rotate in to ensure fresh eyes and endurance, using generators and portable lights in key areas as they continue to scour difficult terrain in darkness.

• By dawn, additional volunteers and off-duty first responders arrive to relieve overnight teams, and the search effort carries on without pause.

Morning Update: On Monday morning, the LCSO and partner agencies hold briefing sessions to update the strategy. The command post remains active at the Toketee Illahee Campground on Siletz Highway, where new volunteers are instructed to check in so they can be assigned to search teams. 

• Authorities caution well-meaning community members not to conduct independent searches without coordination, as unorganized efforts could compromise evidence or put searchers at risk.
• The sheriff’s office continues to urge anyone with even minor information to contact the tip line, underscoring that every lead will be pursued.

1:02 PM Update:

• There have been no major breakthroughs or discoveries announced yet. Dane Paulsen is still missing, and the intensive search is ongoing.
• The primary search area  is located from the steel bridge to Huhtala Road. 
• Community volunteers wishing to assist in the search of two year old Dane Paulsen are being asked to stay out of the primary search area.

Search Resource:

Search and Rescue teams continue to conduct methodical searches of this area.

• Several resources, including aerial drones, tracking canines, watercraft, and human behavior tracking resources are currently deployed.
• Marine units patrolled the river and downstream areas, and air support (drones and helicopters) scanned from above as needed

Volunteers: 

• Those wishing to assist can stage at the Elks Campground. The park host will be the point of contact to direct volunteer search parties. Again, we would like to thank the support we are receiving from community members in this search.

Search Area:

• Searchers are expanding their grid further into neighboring areas and revisiting previous sites with fresh teams. In an official statement, the Sheriff’s Office said that their team and the community are “working tirelessly to bring Dane home” , reaffirming their commitment to continue the exhaustive search efforts.
• Law enforcement officials emphasize that they will continue to devote all available resources to find the child, and they encourage the public to remain vigilant and report any potential clues. All updates by this time indicate that the search will persist into the afternoon and beyond, with hope remaining that Dane will be found safe. Authorities have pledged to provide further public statements as new information becomes available.

Official statements from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office:

• Continue to report information that is relevant to Dane’s disappearance or may bring him home to the tip line: 541-265-0669
• Community members interested in helping with search efforts can continue to report to the staging area during daylight hours. Community staging area: Elks Toketee Illahee campground, 20590 Siletz Hwy, Siletz, Oregon 97380.
• Additional updates will be shared via   FlashAlert and   social media as they become available.

4:00 PM: Update

• The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies have continued active search operations and followed up on informational tips in the search for Dane Paulsen throughout today.
• These efforts are ongoing with officials completing additional ground, water, and air searches.
• The investigation team continues to follow up on leads from community members.
• Official search efforts are planned through this evening and into tomorrow.

Community members are not encouraged to search during the evening hours due to decreased visibility and increased chance of injury.

Community members can help by sharing official updates which can be found on our FlashAlert and Facebook page and by reporting relevant information to the tip line: 541-265-0669

So far, 311 miles have been covered and 682 acres have been searched. Of those 682 acres, community volunteers searched 230 acres, for which we are incredibly grateful.

Additionally, the following resources have been deployed during the search for Dane:

• 88 Certified Search and Rescue Members
• 4 Watercraft
• 13 Divers
• 4 Drones
• 6 Human Trailing K9s
• 40 Investigators
• More than 140 Community Volunteers

Updates will continue to be shared through FlashAlert and our social media as they become available. The next media release is expected tomorrow morning March 4, 2025, unless major updates become available sooner. Once again, we thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our team and the community are working to bring Dane home.

• Additional updates will be shared via   FlashAlert and   social media as they become available.

March 4, 2025

9:00AM: Update

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies are continuing active search operations for Dane Paulsen. Investigators are following up on informational tips. Ground, water, and air searches are ongoing.

• Community members interested in helping with search efforts can continue to report to the staging area during daylight hours. Community volunteer staging area: Elks Toketee Illahee campground, 20590 Siletz Hwy, Siletz, Oregon 97380.
• Community members can also help by sharing official updates found on the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office FlashAlert and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon. Please continue to report relevant information to the tip line: 541-265-0669
• Updates will be shared through FlashAlert and our social media as they become available. The next media release is expected this evening (March 4, 2025), unless major updates become available sooner.
• Once again, we thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our team and the community are working to bring Dane home. FlashAlert: https://flashalert.net/id/LCSO
  

4:00 PM: Update

Sheriff to Provide Community Updates on Search for Dane Paulsen Sheriff Shanks and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office will be providing an in-person update for our community on the search for Dane Paulsen.

The Sheriff’s Office will share information about the investigation and search efforts along with anticipated next steps. After officials have shared their statements, there will be time for questions from the media.

• When: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 4:30pm.
• Where: Elks #1664 Toketee Illahee Campgrounds: 20590 Siletz Hwy, Siletz, OR 97380

RSVP:

• Community members are not required to RSVP.
• To help with planning, members of the media are asked to RSVP by emailing lcsheriff@co.lincoln.or.us.
• Media partners interested in attending will need to sign in at the location.

Questions: Public Information Officer, Jess Palma, at lcsheriff@co.lincoln.or.us

• Once again, we thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our team and the community are working to bring Dane home. FlashAlert:  https://flashalert.net/id/LCSO

4:30 PM: Update

• Investigators have discovered impressions along the riverbank, which is why this location has become a focal point. However, the rough terrain has made search efforts incredibly challenging. While authorities believe they have “thoroughly combed” the area, they acknowledge the possibility that critical details may have been missed.
• Data indicates Dane Paulsen was near the river’s edge when he disappeared. “Relatively close to his home”
• Law enforcement will now focus their search on the Siletz River with increased efforts.
• At least 2 miles of the Siletz river has been covered by divers as related to Dane Paulsen. They will move downstream and focus efforts further down.
• The water temperature is at 44 – 46 Degrees. 
• As of now, no clothing or additional evidence has been recovered.
• According to law enforcement, there is no evidence to suggest that foul play is involved in the disappearance of Dane Paulsen.

As the search for missing Oregon toddler Dane Paulsen continues, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office holds a press conference to discuss the latest:  https://bit.ly/3XsVf5F

March 8, 2025

12:00 PM: Update

• Search for Dane Paulse – Search Remains Ongoing The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies are continuing search operations for Dane Paulsen. Investigators continue to follow up on informational tips alongside search efforts.
• Daily water searches utilizing watercraft with specialized equipment and trained personnel will continue until further notice. Some efforts focusing on the search on the river include:
• A boat running methodical searches over long spans. In addition to searching today, this boat covered an approximate 14 mile stretch of river yesterday (3/7/25).
  A boat running underwater sonar and underwater drones/remotely operated vehicles with underwater cameras.
• Many community members are also searching the river with personal watercraft, expanding the coverage area to include the lower Siletz River.

March 10, 2025

SEARCH FOR DANE PAULSEN UPDATE – SEARCH CONTINUES 

3/10/25, 4:00pm – Siletz, Oregon The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies are continuing search operations for Dane Paulsen. Ongoing search and investigation activities:

• Investigators continue to follow up on leads they discover in addition to informational tips from the community.
• Daily water searches utilizing watercraft with specialized equipment and trained personnel will continue until further notice. 

Answering some common questions:

• We have received information regarding a white van seen in the area two weeks before Dane’s disappearance. At this time, we do not have evidence linking this vehicle to the ongoing search and investigation.
• We will be providing updates as significant information becomes available. This means we will not be providing daily updates. New information or major updates will be shared through the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office FlashAlert and Facebook page.
• Though the land within the search area has been thoroughly combed, we cannot guarantee the areas are clear. Even with specialized equipment and search K9s, it is possible to miss a small child that may be hidden by thick brush or other visual impairments.
• Due to the thorough coverage of the surrounding area and information provided by investigators and evidence from searchers with specialized training and equipment, search efforts are concentrated on the Siletz River.
• Highly trained personal and specialized equipment remain imperative to this search. Read more about some of the specialized personal and equipment cited in our earlier releases: March 5, 2025 Media Release and March 4, 2025 Talking Points from Community Update
• Some community members continue to search on their own. This is in addition to official search efforts. Searchers need permission from property owners before accessing private property. Searchers also need to prioritize safety (see safety suggestions below). 

How Community Members Can Help:

To ensure investigators receive information as quickly as possible, please submit all tips to the tip line, not through Facebook. Currently there is no evidence to suggest criminal activity in Dane’s disappearance. We still ask the public to report relevant information to the tip line: 541-265-0669. When sharing information that

may help us bring Dane home, be as specific as possible. Note the time, exact location, and get clear photos or videos when possible. Share official updates found on the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office FlashAlert and Facebook page.

If community members choose to continue their search (in addition to emergency responder searches), keep these things in mind:

• If you are choosing to search the river or riverbanks, wear a life jacket at all times.
• The Siletz River is cold and fast-moving. Please avoid areas with active searching by emergency responders or certified personnel.
• Do not search during the night or dark hours.
• Carry safety equipment such as first aid kit, extra water and food, whistle, flashlight, etc.
• Dress appropriately for the weather and terrain. Wear layers, bring waterproof clothes, and sturdy shoes. Before you set out, have a safety plan in place.
• Let someone know exactly where you are headed and when you will return.
• Remember that private property cannot be searched without updated permission from the owner.

Updates will be shared through FlashAlert and our Facebook page as significant updates become available. Once again, we express empathy for Dane’s family.

We also want to thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our teams are working to bring Dane home.

March 11, 2025: 💔 Update

Missing Child Dane Paulsen Found Deceased It is with heavy hearts that we announce the discovery of Dane Paulsen, who had been missing since March 1, 2025 around 4:25pm.

After an extensive search and investigation by local authorities, along with the help of community volunteers, Dane was found today at approximately 11:13 am in the Siletz River approximately 3 miles downstream from the family’s property. Sadly, he was found deceased.

Juan Heredia, with Angels Recovery Dive Team offered his dive services to Dane’s family. After connecting with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Jaun was escorted onto the river by a local river guide and began searching areas of the Siletz River downstream from where Sheriff’s Office drivers had thoroughly combed. Sheriff’s Office investigators are currently processing the scene.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is working in partnership with the Lincoln County Medical Examiners Office. As is standard with ongoing investigations, additional details are not available at this time.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office expresses its deepest sympathies to Dane’s family and loved ones. The impact of this loss is felt by the entire community, and we join those grieving this unimaginable tragedy. “Our thoughts are with the family, who are facing an unbearable sorrow,” said Sheriff Adam Shanks. “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.”

We understand that this news is incredibly painful, especially for Dane’s family and those who knew him. Dane’s family has been notified. Out of respect for the family’s privacy during this profoundly difficult time, we ask the public and media to respect their need for space and time to grieve.