Joshua Rowland missing: Brookesville on alert in search for 2-year-old Hernando county toddler

A two-year-old named Joshua Rowland, also known as 'JJ', reportedly wandered off on the morning of Thursday, February 23, 2023, while his mother was asleep. The toddler was last reported to be seen playing with dogs on his parents' 10400 block of Cheever Road lawn, as told by neighbors who came forth as witnesses.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement released a Florida Missing Child Alert for the toddler after his parents alerted the police at 12 noon.

Joshua Rowland was last seen wearing a gray Batman shirt and dark gray pajama pants. The toddler, who has blonde hair and hazel eyes, weighs roughly 35 pounds and stands 2 feet tall, and may have a swollen lip.

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Over 50 responders look for Joshua Rowland who wandered away from his home

More than 50 first responders from different nearby agencies responded to the call for the missing toddler and searched the area around Joshua's house. They used K-9s, drones, horses, ATVs, and even helicopters to aid in the search for the young boy.

However, to everyone's disappointment, there is still no sign of the child. Around 5 pm, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said that the child hadn't been found in a large-scale search conducted between Cheever Road and Yontz Road in northern Brooksville.

The on-ground search was suspended at nightfall, and the sheriff said that deputies would continue to look for the child using infrared cameras in the air.

JJ's mother was allegedly sleeping when the toddler slipped away on Thursday morning, according to the sheriff. The mother last saw Joshua Rowland, around 10 am but a neighbor came forward and said that the child was playing on the lawn around 11 am.

The area around the house has numerous fields, woods, and structures like barns and farmhouses, and even a pond nearby.

A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office, Denise Maloney, said that they aren't sure if the toddler is on the move or if he is hiding. They have no clue if the child fell asleep somewhere or if he's playing with animals.

Maloney added:

"It was reported that he walked out the door while mom, and he was sleeping. I don’t know if he woke up and just left, not sure."

The sheriff said that deputies set out to visit s*x offenders in the area but there was no sign of Joshua Rowland in the area. He also noted that there is absolutely no indication so far that the child was abducted or kidnapped in the course of the investigation.

Denise Maloney continued that they have requested everyone in the area to go outside their properties and check the bushes and even inside unlocked cars to find JJ.

He said that Joshua Rowland's mother apparently searched for the toddler for roughly an hour before she called 911 and reported him missing. The boy will turn three in July 2023.

Denise Maloney emphasized that the area around the Brooksville home has several barns, sheds, and other homes located at a distance. He said that the woods are incredibly thick and people living in the area can check their properties and call 911 if they spot anything.

The search for Joshua Rowland has resumed and the Sheriff's Office is accepting volunteers. If there is any information, people are requested to call 911 to narrow down the toddler's location immediately.

Among reports like Ahmiri Chaney, Athena Strand, and Danielle Owens, people are hoping to locate Joshua Rowland as soon as they can.