Missing Boy Found Alive In Santa Cruz Mountains

A 3-year-old boy whose banana slug hunt turned into a frightening night in the woods was found Thursday after an intensive 20-hour search.

Video On Demand: Searcher Dave Churchill Said A Prayer And Found Missing Child Video On Demand: Missing Boy Found Near Ben Lomond "I went from my darkest hour to the best day of my life," said his mother, Shonti Burke.

Aidan Burke was reunited with his family on Thursday afternoon just minutes before rain began to fall in the redwood forests that dot the Santa Cruz Mountains about 100 miles south of San Francisco.

Officials said the boy was found by a rescue worker searching near the highway. He appeared to be in good condition with minor scratches and bruises. He was taken from the area by ambulance to Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. He was expected to go home later Thursday night.

At the hospital, Aidan was reunited with his brother, sister, parents and grandparents. He was looking at a tray of a cheeseburger, potato chips and two scoops of ice cream.

Slideshow: Emotions Boil Over As Missing Boy Is Found Aidan disappeared just before sunset Wednesday after a slug hunt in the woods with his brother, sister and family dog.

At some point, Aidan and the dog became separated from the other two children. The dog eventually returned home, but Aidan did not. Shonti Burke said her son "got kind of upset when he said he had to sleep on the ground."

She reassured Aidan that he would not get in trouble

Search teams including volunteers looked throughout the night in the heavily wooded area near Highway 9.

Aidan's fourth birthday is next month. His mother jokingly said she would give him a whistle and compass as presents.