6-Year-Old Boy Who Was Lost for Days Found Alive After Farmer Heard His Cries in the Forest

Mar. 15, 2025

Yen Bai province, Vietnam.Photo:Getty

Getty

A young boy who was missing for days in a forest in Vietnam has been found alive.On Saturday, Aug. 17, 6-year-old Dang Tien Lam was playing with his siblings outside in the northwestern Yen Bai province when he wandered away from the group, according to theBBCandThe Independent.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Fortunately, a farmer in the area heard Lam’s cries for help on Wednesday, Aug. 21, and the boy was found sitting in the bushes close to four miles where he initially disappeared, according to The Independent.“I picked him up, and he said he was tired and hungry, asking if I had anything to eat,” Ly Van Nang, 52, said, per the online newspaper.Over 200 people, local police, soldiers, militia and volunteers banded together in the search for Lam, according to The Independent.While the search was ongoing, local investigators also utilized surveillance footage to ensure that Lam had not been kidnapped and also drained ponds and streams to eliminate the possibility that he may have drowned, per the online newspaper.Upon Lam’s rescue, the outlet reported that police said it was a “miracle” that he was found alive.As for how he was able to survive,Agence France Pressereported that the boy drank water from a stream and ate leave and fruit he found in the wild.Of course, after finding out her son was alive, the boy’s mother was overjoyed. “I was so happy that my child had returned alive,” she said, per the news agency.Police went on to tell the news agency that although he was found in a weakened state, “he is okay now.”

A young boy who was missing for days in a forest in Vietnam has been found alive.

On Saturday, Aug. 17, 6-year-old Dang Tien Lam was playing with his siblings outside in the northwestern Yen Bai province when he wandered away from the group, according to theBBCandThe Independent.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Fortunately, a farmer in the area heard Lam’s cries for help on Wednesday, Aug. 21, and the boy was found sitting in the bushes close to four miles where he initially disappeared, according to The Independent.

“I picked him up, and he said he was tired and hungry, asking if I had anything to eat,” Ly Van Nang, 52, said, per the online newspaper.

Over 200 people, local police, soldiers, militia and volunteers banded together in the search for Lam, according to The Independent.

While the search was ongoing, local investigators also utilized surveillance footage to ensure that Lam had not been kidnapped and also drained ponds and streams to eliminate the possibility that he may have drowned, per the online newspaper.

Upon Lam’s rescue, the outlet reported that police said it was a “miracle” that he was found alive.

As for how he was able to survive,Agence France Pressereported that the boy drank water from a stream and ate leave and fruit he found in the wild.

Of course, after finding out her son was alive, the boy’s mother was overjoyed. “I was so happy that my child had returned alive,” she said, per the news agency.

Police went on to tell the news agency that although he was found in a weakened state, “he is okay now.”

source: people.com