5-year-old Rocky Boy youth missing after falling in creek

Searching resumed this morning after a 5-year-old boy from Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation fell in Lower Box Elder Creek Sunday afternoon. At approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday the Rocky Boy Police Department received a report that the boy, who had been playing near the creek with at least one other child of similar age, had fallen in the creek, which is swollen from spring run off. Tim Martin, director of public safety for Rocky Boy, declined to release the name until the boy is recovered. "We have high water runoff on Lower Box Elder Creek," Martin, said. "There is a lot of flooding in the area," he added, saying that's typical of spring run off. Officers are working to determine if the flow from Bonneau Dam can be stemmed to aid search and rescue workers from Hill and Chouteau counties, as well as rescue dogs from Helena, in the search. The search was suspended Sunday evening at approximately 9:30 because of the strong flow and dark conditions. "It's just too dangerous to have people out there after dark," Martin said. Parents should keep children away from water during the spring run off season when creeks aren't good for much recreation, he said. "The water's dangerous even for adults," he said.