Search On In Snow-Covered Part Of Butte County For Missing Father, 2 Children
STIRLING CITY (CBS13) - Several local agencies are helping in the search for a father who reportedly ran away with his two young children into woods of Butte County.
The Butte County Sheriff says, last night, they got a call from a woman reporting that her husband, 25-year-old Michael Mercado, and two children, ages 2 and 7, were missing. She told deputies that the father took the children to an area above Stirling City around noon, but hadn't been heard from since.
A Jeep the family was driving in was found unoccupied, deputies say.
Search crews from Yuba County, Nevada County, the California Rescue Dog Association, Cal Fire and California Highway Patrol are now helping Butte County crews. Four search dogs, including area and trailing dogs, are also helping in the search.
Efforts are being focused in snow-covered areas near Inskip, where witnesses reported seeing Mercado driving the Jeep on Sunday.
Anyone who may have been in contact with Mercado is asked to call authorities at (530) 538-7322.