Boy With Heart Condition Found Dead In Septic Tank

GREENE TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Authorities have a single person in custody early Saturday afternoon after discovering the body of a boy with a heart condition for whom hundreds of people had searched in Beaver County.

Wyatt Thomas Smitsky, 4, who has a congenital heart defect that requires medication, disappeared while playing outside his home in the 600 block of Georgetown Road in Greene Township early Friday at about 6:30 p.m.

A relative told WTAE Channel 4's Bob Mayo on Saturday morning that Wyatt had been outside playing with his 3-year-old and 6-year-old sisters. When the children's mother called them in for dinner, the girls came home, but Wyatt did not. The relative said the girls told their mother that Wyatt went under a "sticky fence."

Shortly before 1 p.m., a relative told Mayo that Wyatt's body had been found. At about 1:15 p.m., state police said Wyatt's body was found in the septic system of a neighboring home. State police said authorities are questioning the boy's father, but he has not been named as a suspect.

Mayo said police are consulting with the district attorney about possible charges against the unidentified person in custody.

Gathering Friday evening, hundreds of volunteers -- some using all-terrain vehicles -- rescue team members and firefighters scoured a 2-mile area of dense woods with search dogs until about 3 a.m. Saturday, when authorities continued searching, but gave volunteers a break.

"We just gave some of the volunteers a break, but there have been people working around the clock," state police Trooper Robert Lagoon said. "We still have folks that have been here since it started and all through the night, and we've been working on this case and trying to get this resolved as soon as we can."

"It's just the volunteers who have been gracious with their time, we wanted to give them a break and we've had other folks here -- fire department, county detectives, sheriff's department, other law enforcement and state police -- pretty much, we've been here all night," Lagoon added.

A state police helicopter with infrared detection joined in the effort, which was triggered with the use of technology the county employs in emergencies.

"Beaver County has a system in place where they can alert residents ... of what's going on, and they immediately put that blast out to everyone in this phone exchange. So, immediately, they're notified that this little boy is missing and they can be on the lookout for him," state police Lt. Steve Ignatz said.

Searchers gathered to form 10 groups Saturday at about 10 a.m. The searchers were joined by dogs, horses and ATVs, Mayo reported. A Google Earth map showed the geography in the area is wooded, undeveloped terrain.