Missing Toddler Found Deceased in Hamlin County

Northeast Radio SD News - Castlewood, SD - A search for a missing 1.5-year-old boy in Hamlin County concluded on Monday, September 15, 2025, after the child was found deceased. Authorities received a 911 call at 2:52 p.m. regarding the missing boy, who was last seen three miles south of Castlewood.

First responders were dispatched to the location and began a search of nearby buildings, fields, and wooded areas. The search effort was expanded with additional resources from other counties and state agencies. Community members, along with ATVs, drones, and search vehicles, also assisted in the operation.

The boy's body was discovered in a slough south of where he had gone missing shortly after 6:00 p.m. The incident is being investigated as a drowning.

Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Castlewood Ambulance, Castlewood Fire Department, Codington County Search and Rescue, Codington County Sheriff’s Office, Estelline Ambulance, Estelline Fire Department, Hamlin County Emergency Management, Hamlin County Sheriff’s Office, Hayti Fire Department, Hazel Fire Department, Lake Norden Fire Department, Lake Norden Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigations, South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks, and Watertown Police Department.