Authorities are searching for a Mississippi man who allegedly left his 5-year-old son in the woods overnight.

Wayne County Sheriff Jody Ashley told WDAM Monday that Richard Dearman, 32, is accused of leaving his young son in the woods for 24 hours last Wednesday.

“He told him he thought the law was behind him,” Ashley said. “They would turn down a dirt road, they would get out the vehicle way in the woods in a wooded area. He would tell him to stand by a tree and wait and he would be back to get him.”

The 5-year-old allegedly woke up cold and alone then walked a mile in the woods searching for his father. The child reportedly heard a dog barking at a Brewertown home and got help.

Ashley claimed the boy suffered minor cuts during the daylong ordeal but is okay. Now, officers are zeroing in on Dearman, who is nowhere to be found. Dearman supposedly abandoned his truck not far from where he left his son, The Clarion-Ledger reported.

“It makes you mad he would do something like this,” Ashley said last week. “There are a lot of things that could have happened to this child in the woods. I don’t know a history of drug arrests with this man or not, we are checking everything, but we are cutting warrants for him now.”

According to the local paper, the 32-year-old is described as being 5 feet, 4 inches tall and having brown hair, green eyes, and a goatee. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and red and black gym shorts.

When caught, Dearman will face child endangering charges in connection with last week’s incident. Anyone with information about the father’s whereabouts is instructed to call the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office at 601-735-2323.

[Featured Image: Wayne County Sheriff’s Department]