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DNR conservation officers find missing teen in woods

Hats off to a pair of Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers for their recent actions in finding an area teenager lost in a wooded region near the city of Marquette.

According to a DNR press release and recent Mining Journal story on the matter, Conservation Officer John Kamps and probationary Conservation Officer Steve Sajtar were patrolling south of Marquette, searching the area after Marquette County Central Dispatch informed local emergency responders of a runaway boy.

While searching, Kamps and Sajtar found a set of footprints and began tracking them south of County Road 545 North and Maplewood Road.

Thus began an odyssey that ended some time later with the officers locating the teen, sitting on a snowbank along Foster Creek at 6:10 p.m.

He was wearing only a shirt and pajama pants.

It was clear to both officers that the boy was in trouble. He had removed his wet shoes and socks because he had fallen into the creek. He wrapped his bare feet in his jacket in an attempt to stay warm, telling the officers that he was freezing cold.

According to the press release, Kamps removed his wool gloves for the boy to put on his feet.

Kamps and Sajtar then helped the boy walk about 275 yards, where an ambulance met them west of U.S. 41.

EMS transported the boy to UP Health System-Marquette, where he was treated for exposure.

This is yet another example of the great work DNR conservation officers do, very often behind the scene.

We applaud Kamps and Sajtar’s efforts and hold them up as outstanding officers.

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