Missing Poplar Boy Found Friday

Nickander Dewayne Dean Merculieff, 10, of Poplar, was located safely Friday, Feb. 7, after notices from the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office were issued to help locate Merculieff. His disappearance was reported as far away as Billings.

According to Roosevelt County Undersheriff John Summers, the investigation was handled by the Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice.

Merculieff went missing between 3:30 and 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, according to an RSCO social media post updated at 11:25 a.m. on Feb. 7. He went missing while walking east from Poplar Elementary School toward Tribal Express convenience store. He was reported missing by a close relative.

Jeff Wozniak with Fort Peck Tribes/Roosevelt County 911 Center told the county commissioners Feb. 18 at the regular meeting in Wolf Point that the mass callout/reverse 911 system helped create a buzz around Merculieff’s disappearance.