The autistic five-year-old boy who vanished from his home in rural Oregon, days before he was found dead in the woods, died from hypothermia, according to police. 

Joshua McCoy was reported missing on November 9 after his mother, Angela German, couldn’t locate him after she woke up from a nap at 5.30pm. 

After a three-day search, his naked body was found in the Coos County coastal forest less than two miles from his home in Hauser. 

On Friday, the Coos County Sheriff’s Officer announced that the young child died from hypothermia – a significant drop in body temperature, typically brought on when exposed to the cold for a long period of time. 

News of his cause of death comes about a week after cops revealed that they believe the five-year-old may have been murdered. 

Investigators discovered that his bare feet lacked marks that would be present if he had walked to the wooded area himself, leading police to believe something sinister may be at play, People reported.

Additionally, the new search warrant affidavit filed in Coos County about two weeks ago said that the child’s body – which was found about 20 feet off a local roadway – had no signs of trauma, no petechiae and no scratches or cuts that would be consistent with Joshua walking through the briars or blackberry bushes.’ 

The affidavit also highlighted there were tire tracks in the mud near where his body was found as well as on his mother’s car tires. 

Joshua McCoy, the five-year-old boy who disappeared from his home in Oregon on November 9 before being found dead in nearby woods, died of hypothermia, police said 

After a three-day search, his naked body was found in the Coos County coastal forest less than two miles from his home

After a three-day search, his naked body was found in the Coos County coastal forest less than two miles from his home

Joshua was reported missing by a friend of his mother who lives in Utah after she called her instead of police, KEZI 9 reported.

Her reasoning for calling a friend instead of law enforcement was said to be because of a past bad experience with the department.

German told cops more than three weeks ago that she had woken up from a four-hour nap to find her non-verbal son missing from their home. 

The report prompted a search and rescue effort that lasted three days consisting of local and federal authorities working to locate him. 

Authorities then announced on November 12 that his remains were located in the Coos County coastal forest. 

The new affidavit outlined the fact that German’s story changed several times for how long she’d been asleep – eventually telling authorities that she took barbiturates and ketamine to help her sleep. 

During the investigation, authorities said that Joshua had a cellphone on him, but a ping of the device ‘did not provide any fruitful information.’ 

His phone did find evidence ‘which led investigators to reasonably believe that Joshua had walked away from the home while Ms. German was sleeping,’ KOIN reported. 

News of his cause of death comes about a week after cops revealed that they believe the five-year-old may have been murdered. (Pictured: Joshua with his father Lawson Amos McCoy)

News of his cause of death comes about a week after cops revealed that they believe the five-year-old may have been murdered. (Pictured: Joshua with his father Lawson Amos McCoy)

The department added that despite finding that data, ‘there are still laboratory results which have not been received’ and that the evidence is currently ‘pointing to these articulable facts.’ 

Lawson Amos McCoy, Joshua’s father, demanded answers after he spoke with Oregon Live last month shortly after his son’s body was found. 

‘I want the truth, plain and simple,’ he said. ‘I don’t care about anything else. My baby’s gone.’

The 47-year-old father met German when they both lived in Utah before they decided to buy a house together and have a baby.

The pair moved to Coos Bay in a home residing on an isolated stretch of road next to a large pond after German got a job in a local hospital working as a nurse, Oregon Live reported.

While she worked at the hospital, McCoy – who received benefits due to a disability from his service in the US Air Force – cared for their son as a stay-at-home father.

‘I nurtured him and bathed him and fed him,’ he told the outlet. ‘I mean I knew his favorite foods. I knew his favorite colors. I can’t believe this has happened.’

Joshua was reported missing by a friend of his mother who lives in Utah after she called her instead of police. His mom, Angela German, said she chose to do so because of a past bad experience with the department

Joshua was reported missing by a friend of his mother who lives in Utah after she called her instead of police. His mom, Angela German, said she chose to do so because of a past bad experience with the department

McCoy hasn't seen his son since he left Oregon - and is convinced if he hadn't left, his son would still be alive today. (Pictured: The father and son)

McCoy hasn’t seen his son since he left Oregon – and is convinced if he hadn’t left, his son would still be alive today. (Pictured: The father and son) 

But McCoy hasn’t seen his son since he left Oregon – and is convinced if he hadn’t left, his son would still be alive today. 

‘He thinks it’s all his fault, just because he left JJ,’ Joshua McCoy, McCoy’s brother, told the outlet. 

McCoy’s brother also set up a GoFundMe last month to help Joshua’s father pay for the funeral costs – which he wished to have back in Ohio to be buried next to his great-grandfather and great-grandmother. – as well as therapy for the family members. 

Some of the funds are also expected to go toward therapy for family members, as well as hiring a private investigator to look into the young boy’s death.

The new warrant sought to search German’s home and seize her Porsche for forensic testing, as well as search of Joshua’s cell phone which was found near his body when he was discovered, KEZI 9 reported. 

McCoy noted how he hasn’t had any contact with German since the horrific outcome – and his biggest regret is still leaving Oregon. 

After announcing Joshua’s cause of death, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing and that the department mourns the young boy. 

There is no one in custody and facing charges at this point. There have also been no suspects named in the case

There is no one in custody and facing charges at this point. There have also been no suspects named in the case

‘The Coos County Sheriff’s Office mourns Joshua. As members of this community who are sworn to protect, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office spared no expense and exhausted every appropriate measure available to us to try to find Joshua,’ the department said. 

‘It is as important for investigators to prove innocence of involved parties as it is to prove guilt.’ 

The Department of Human Services in the state is also investigating how Joshua was treated at home by his mother.

Court records showed that the department had recently issued a ‘pick up order’ after an initial investigation spanning several months looked into German’s alleged alcohol use, neglect and mistreatment of her son, KEZI 9 reported.

There is no one in custody and facing charges at this point.

There have also been no suspects named in the case.

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