When 3-year-old Ryker Webb vanished in June 2022 in northwest Montana, the mystery of how he survived alone in the wild for two nights captured attention across the country.
Ryker had been playing with his dog in the yard of his home near Troy, Mont., when he disappeared, apparently wandering off into the nearby forest and not returning. A few hours later, the local sheriff was contacted and Ryker was officially reported missing.
Over the next two days, search teams faced severe storms and the presence of bears and mountain lions as they scoured the rugged landscape with dogs, National Guard helicopters, drones and volunteer ground crews. The effort finally paid off when the redheaded toddler was discovered in a shed roughly two miles from his home.
A photo taken as Ryker received medical attention after being found went viral, showing him visibly shaken and wide-eyed, prompting many to wonder how he made it through the ordeal — and what he remembered from his time alone in the woods.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(137x122:139x124):format(webp)/montana-boy-found-4-5e4fb96594264d69b801f3120d2da38f.jpg)
Here’s what is known about what happened to Ryker and where he is now.
What happened when Ryker went missing?
On the afternoon of June 3, 2022, Ryker was in the backyard of his Troy, Montana, home with his family dog and his father.
“He and his dad were in the yard, the father went inside the home for a moment and when he went back outside, the child was gone,” Sheriff Short told KREM. “We have a very distraught family and a lot of concern over him.”
Around 5 p.m., a concerned neighbor called authorities to report that Ryker was missing. According to a statement from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the boy had already been gone for about two hours by the time deputies arrived to respond.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(728x410:730x412):format(webp)/ryker-webb-search-party-120325-a503805f218d4af1b5086257cda703ed.jpg)
Short later told Today that severe thunderstorms rolled through the area that evening, complicating search efforts. The region is also known to be home to bears and mountain lions, raising further fears for the boy’s safety.
By the following day, the search had expanded dramatically. Drones, National Guard helicopters, tracking dogs, human search teams and even a boat on a nearby lake were deployed in hopes of finding any sign of Ryker.
How was Ryker Webb found?
On Sunday, June 5 — two days after he disappeared — a couple who lived about two miles from Ryker’s home heard a child’s voice coming from a log cabin on their property. Investigating the sound, they discovered Ryker hiding in a lawn mower bag inside a shed.
“They heard a little boy’s voice from the shed out back where they keep a generator,” Short told Today. “So they went to the shed and there he was.”
Short recalled to NBC Montana that one member of the couple went to the search checkpoint with a photo of Ryker and explained that the picture had just been taken moments earlier.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, Ryker “was in good spirits and apparently healthy, although hungry, thirsty and cold.” Emergency medical workers transported him to a local hospital for evaluation.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(719x239:721x241):format(webp)/montana-boy-found-1-df49584d560c494196b1754c0e5e7564.jpg)
What likely happened while Ryker was missing?
Exactly what Ryker experienced in the woods is not known, but his family and investigators have formed some reasonable theories.
“I really think that he just kept wandering,” Short told NBC Montana. He explained that there is a trail system behind the family’s home that local children know well. “He just, rather than turning around and coming back to the house, he just kept continuing down the path.”
Short also said Ryker’s mother told him that her son loves chasing butterflies and looking for bugs. Search teams noticed that several rocks along the trail had been flipped over, suggesting that Ryker may have been looking underneath them for insects as he walked.
As the weather worsened, Short believes Ryker may have sought shelter wherever he could. “I think he just got distracted and just continued [walking], and then when the weather started to turn, he took shelter in the shed,” he said.
Did Ryker change clothes while he was missing?
Early speculation suggested Ryker might have changed clothes during the time he was missing, but authorities later clarified that this was unlikely.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office explained that the original clothing description given to searchers was incorrect: “An initial clothing description provided to searchers proved to be inaccurate. It was unknown what clothing or footwear the child was wearing.”
When he was found, Ryker was wearing blue long-sleeved footed pajamas with a yellow truck print. The feet of the pajamas appeared noticeably worn.
What did Ryker say when he was found?
Authorities have not released detailed information about what Ryker said immediately after being found, but Sheriff Short did share a few observations.
He told Today that the toddler was “very, very scared,” and that his “eyes lit up” when he was told he would soon be reunited with his parents. Short added, “He had a wide-eyed scared look until he got back to his mom and dad.”
Ryker told Short that he had gone for a walk and eventually became tired. “Ryker appeared to be very, very frightened, and he didn’t know the couple that found him, he didn’t know myself or my patrol captain who were there next,” Short told NBC Montana. “So I’m sure being in that shed for two days and being around strangers, he was pretty shook up. He was in shock.”
Short said Ryker’s family was “very emotional, very shook up, of course.” His siblings and grandparents were also there when he was brought home, and all were relieved to see him safely returned.
Where is Ryker Webb now?
Since Ryker’s rescue, his family has chosen to keep their lives private. Short said that after being treated overnight at the hospital for dehydration, Ryker was released and was soon back to playing with his siblings.
In December 2023, content creator Harinder Singh said he had spoken to Ryker’s older brother, Kayden, who allegedly shared that Ryker was healthy and safe but had been traumatized and shell-shocked in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
