Good news after frantic search: Young boy did not fall into Cedar River



KING COUNTY -- Miscommunication led to reports of a 5-year-old boy in the Cedar River in Renton, sheriff's deputies said, and as it turns out only a woman and her dog -- both now safe -- fell in.

According to King County sheriff's deputies, witnesses called 911 to report that a woman and child fell into the river just before 9 a.m. Wednesday near the 15400 block of Jones Road North.

Deputies rushed to the scene and rescued the woman. She could not speak following the event and was not able to to give detectives a "good understanding" of what happened to her, D.B. Gates of the King County Sheriff's Office said.

She was taken to a nearby hospital where she is recovering.



Believing a child was still in the water following witness accounts, marine rescue units and sheriff's deputies entered the river in search of a 5-year-old boy.

However, after some time, deputies and rescuers learned a child never entered the river. What witnesses believed was a child was actually a dog, or perhaps they witnessed the woman fall into the river and believed it was a child.

The dog -- a black lab -- ran to its nearby home while the rescue was underway, deputies said. It is in fine condition.

After clearing up the miscommunication, the search was called off.



This story will be updated as more information is available.