LINCOLN, N.H. (AP) – More than 250 searchers combed through woods near a condominium complex Tuesday looking for a 10-year-old missing for more than 24 hours.

Though concerns were growing about the safety of Patric McCarthy of Bourne, Mass., dispatcher Amy Halliday said the official focus was unchanged late Tuesday afternoon.

“I think we’re still aiming for he’s lost in the woods,” she said.

Fish and Game officers were in charge and more than 250 volunteers were helping. Halliday said virtually her entire department was searching as were the Lincoln Fire Department, state police, other police departments, the state police SWAT team and Linwood Ambulance personnel.

“He’s scared,” his stepmother, Margaret McCarthy, said. “I know they’re going to find him. Patric, I love him like he’s my own,” she said.

The search included National Guard helicopters and search dogs and continued through Monday night.

Patric was last seen about 1:30 Monday afternoon. His family said he was playing with his brothers and decided to head through the woods to the family condo alone. The blond, 85-pound boy and his family were staying at the Clear Brook condo complex on the Kancamagus Highway, across from Loon Mountain ski area.

Fish and Game Lt. Todd Bogardus said there was no reason to suspect foul play.

Volunteer searchers came from as far as Manchester, where a dozen police officers headed to Lincoln when their shift ended Tuesday afternoon.

“All these guys have kids and we certainly can all relate to something like that,” said Manchester Sgt. Jim Soucy.

Columbus Day weekend, traditionally the busiest weekend for foliage watching, was a busy time for search and rescue crews throughout the mountains.

Crews worked through the night Monday to carry out an injured hiker who fell 50 to 80 feet in Tuckerman Ravine on Mount Washington. A companion also had to be rescued.

On Tuesday, volunteers from Mountain Rescue Service were helping bring down a rock climber who spent the night on Cannon Cliffs, a popular rock climbing area.

Dave Grosser, 50, of Cambridge, Mass., was climbing the Lakeview climbing route with a partner on Monday when he became too tired to continue, Bogardus said.

“He secured himself and made himself as comfortable as he could and his partner summitted and came down and requested help,” Bogardus said.

At midday Tuesday, Bogardus said the rescue group had reached Grosser and was having no difficulty bringing him off the cliff.

Officials had few details on the rescue of a woman from the Caps Ridge Trail on Mount Jefferson on Monday. Gralenski said the woman was brought down from the trail at about 11:30 p.m. by Fish and Game officials and volunteers from the Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue team.

“There wasn’t an officer in the northern part of the state who got a decent night’s sleep,” Gralenski said Tuesday. “Saturday and Sunday were quiet, but Monday made up for it.”

AP-ES-10-14-03 1939EDT

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