A search was launched Sunday night for a 5-year-old boy who became lost after getting separated from a group of relatives in York County.

Steve McCausland, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, identified the child as Chris Grecco.

Chris Grecco

“He’s from New Jersey and was in Maine visiting relatives,” McCausland said. He was unable to provide a hometown or any details about the boy’s background.

The group was hiking along a trail off the Hussey Hill Road in the town of Acton when the group lost track of the boy around 6:30 p.m.

Chris is 4 feet tall with brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a gray coat with a hood along with a blue shirt and bluejeans during the hike.

“The coat he was wearing is encouraging because it could keep him warm during the night,” McCausland said.

The Maine Warden Service is leading the search, which McCausland said will likely continue through the night and into the morning hours. At least one canine team was sent to help searchers locate Grecco.

“The search is just getting underway,” McCausland said at 10:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service was forecasting rain, patchy fog and a low temperature of 43 degrees for Sunday night into Monday morning in Acton.

About 25 state troopers, York County sheriff’s deputies, state game wardens and personnel from the Acton Fire Department are involved in the search for the boy. The Acton Fire Department is being used as a base of operations.