2-year-old boy missing after grandfather sends him home alone

Japan Today -- Aug 14

About 150 police and firefighters in Yamaguchi Prefecture resumed their search on Oshima island Monday for a two-year-old boy who went missing after his grandfather sent him home alone from a beach excursion on Sunday.

According to police, the child, Yoshiki Fujimoto, who turned two on Monday, lives in Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture. He was visiting his great-grandparents' home with his extended family for the weekend, Fuji TV reported. On Sunday at around 10:30 a.m., he went with his 3-year-old brother and his 66-year-old grandfather to play at some sand dunes 400 meters away.

However, the grandfather told police that Yoshiki started complaining about the heat and wanted to go back home. His grandfather let him head back home alone while he continued on to the sand dunes with Yoshiki’s brother.

When Yoshiki failed to return home, which was about 100 meters away from where he turned back, his parents looked for him and then contacted police at around 11:30 a.m.

When last seen, Yoshiki was wearing a long-sleeved red and white shirt, green shorts and green sandals. He is 86 cms tall