A 3-year-old boy who went missing while playing in a creek near his home was found three days later drinking muddy water from a riverbed.

The toddler, Anthony "AJ" Elfalak, disappeared from his family’s home in rural New South Wales, Australia, on Friday, Sept.3.

Friends and family searched for the boy in the vast property but he was not found until today, Sept.6.

A New South Wales search helicopter captured the moments when they spotted AJ sitting in a puddle, drinking water from a creek bed about 500 meters from his home.

An officer can be heard saying: "I’ve got the boy. Get on the PA and tell them."

His overwhelmed mother, Kelly, collapsed to the ground when emergency services revealed they’d found the boy.

"The SES member put his hand on the boy's shoulder and he turned towards him and there was a huge smile," SES chief inspector Simon Merrick said.

"It's smile the rescuer will never forget."

The boy was found in a "remarkable" condition.

"Once mum and dad were cuddling him, his spirits picked up and we had him in the back of the ambulance for about 1.5 hours, just checking him over," Special Operations Team Paramedic Gerry Pyke said, 7News reported.

Surprisingly, AJ had only suffered some lacerations on his lower legs, ant bites, and nappy rash.

"He was sleeping the whole time which was not surprising and once he woke up all he wanted to do was eat," Pyke said.

The child was given some well-deserved slices of pizza and a banana, he said.

Based on a preliminary investigation. police say AJ simply wandered off, however, his mother is adamant that her son is not a "wanderer" and that he was taken.

Earlier this week, AJ’s father Anthony Elfalak had said: "A kid just doesn’t pick up and disappear."

Family friend Alan Hashem had also said, "there’s no other reasonable explanation than that it’s an abduction".

The police are currently investigating if there might be a sinister reason to abduct the boy and target the family.

Hours after AJ was found, his family issued a statement thanking police, rescue crews, family, and friends.

"Our family is together again. For that we are grateful to everyone who has assisted in any way over the last three days," it read.

"Thank you to the NSW Police, Rescue Services, volunteers, community members, friends, and family who have worked tirelessly to find AJ."

"AJ is fine. Hold your kids close."

"Please give our family the privacy to appreciate what we have."

Anthony "AJ" Elfalak
AJ went missing on Friday, Sept. 3. Facebook.

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