On June 3, 2022, in Troy, Montana, a 3-year-old boy named Ryker Webb disappeared from outside his family’s home. He was found two days later, approximately 2.4 miles away, hiding in a shed.
On the day he went missing, Ryker was playing outside with the family dog when his father went inside for a few minutes. Upon returning, the boy was gone, presumed to have wandered off into the nearby forest.
Police were called immediately, and a large search operation began. Two days later, Ryker was found hiding in a shed, located about 2.4 miles from the last known location. Despite his tender age and the dangerous terrain—including the presence of bears and mountain lions—he was found in reasonably good health, suffering only from dehydration and minor injuries.
Since the incident, and as the investigation remains open, there has been intense speculation about what really happened:
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Some speculate that he might have been kidnapped, citing his terrified, shell-shocked appearance, and reports that the clothes he was found wearing were not the same as what he had on when he vanished.
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There are even theories that the child found was not actually Ryker, based on how different he looked post-rescue.
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A few have ventured into supernatural territory, suggesting skin-walkers—mythical creatures from Native American folklore—as possible culprits.
Now around 6 years old, many are waiting for the day when Ryker will be able to talk about his experience, hoping that the truth of what really happened will finally come to light.
What happened to Ryker Webb?
The 3-year-old boy who was lost in the Montana wilderness for two days, then miraculously found safe, has been the subject of intense internet attention after a photo of him looking shell-shocked after his rescue circulated.
He survived by seeking shelter in a shed, an official told TODAY Parents.
“He was very, very scared,” Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short said in a phone call, noting that mountain lions and bears inhabit the area. There were also severe thunderstorms on the evening Ryker went missing. Temperatures dipped into the 40s. The shed where he took shelter was a very old log cabin-type structure, Short said.
What happened to Ryker Webb?
Ryker was reported missing in June of 2022 on a Friday afternoon and found on Sunday, roughly two miles from his home in the small town of Troy in northwestern Montana, according to Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short. (Authorities originally reported that Ryker is 4, but he is actually 3, Short said.)
The redheaded toddler was discovered by a family that was checking on their cabin.
“They heard a little boy’s voice from the shed out back where they keep a generator,” Short said. “So they went to the shed and there he was.”
When Short arrived on the scene, he said Ryker was visibly shaken.
Short asked Ryker several questions and the little boy shared that he went for a long walk by himself and then he got tired.
Short recalled how Ryker’s “eyes lit up” at the mention of being reunited with his parents.
“He had the wide-eyed scared look until he got back to his mom and dad,” Short said.
Where is Ryker Webb now?
Ryker Webb is home with his family. Attempts by TODAY.com to reach his family for updates have been unsuccessful.
After his rescue in June of 2022, Ryker was taken to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center for evaluation and was discharged. The case remained open, Short said.
“We’re still looking into why he disappeared, and why he wasn’t being watched closely,” Short said.
In a press release on Sunday, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said Ryker was located after an expansive search that involved a “steady presence of ground searchers and ATVs, several drones and dog teams.”
Ryker left some clues
Ryker was found in “good spirits and apparently healthy, although hungry, thirsty and cold.”
Short told TODAY that Ryker left some “clues” as to which direction he had wandered.
“Little Ryker is very interested in bugs and insects,” Short said. “As ground searchers walked up the trail behind his house, they could tell the some rocks had been freshly turned over like a kid would do if they were looking for bugs.”
