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A \"gut feeling\" led Tussey to a hill, and once he began climbing down, he heard Kenneth's cries, he said. After giving him some water, the rescuers carried him out of the woods in a backpack they cut holes into, Tussey said.

After medics started an IV to treat Kenneth's dehydration, he was \"calm, cool and collected,\" Conley told reporters. His mother was then called to the scene, and she \"basically climbed on top of him on the gurney\" to hug and kiss him, said Chris Hecker, the Kentucky Emergency Management director for the area. He was then airlifted to a local hospital, Hecker said.

Some of the crews had already searched the area where Kenneth was found, but he may have been covered by the dense vegetation, Hecker said, adding that it was \"godsend\" that he cried out when he did.

Kenneth also had to endure the elements during the 67 hours he was in the woods, officials said. It was 38 degrees and raining on the first night, and the wildlife such as coyotes and bobcats could have been attracted by his cries, May said. Fresh bear tracks had even been spotted during the search, May added, and one of the members of the team found more than 50 ticks on his body after the first night of searching, Conley said.

\"PHOTO:
Ritter Mortimer/Mortimer Media, Salyersville Independent
PHOTO: Missing toddler Kenneth Howard was found on May 15, 2019, after he'd been missing for more than three days, authorities said.
>

Fourteen different departments, dozens of volunteers and at least five dogs participated in the search, Conley said.

Kenneth was doing \"exceptionally\" well as of Thursday morning and was eating solid food, Conley said. He is expected to make a full recovery.

The toddler had been known to run down the driveway in the past, Conley said. Authorities are continuing to investigate how Kenneth became lost, but they currently do not suspect that any criminal activity occurred, Petry said.

ABC News' Rachel Katz and TJ Holmes contributed to this report.

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