Casey Hathaway visits deputies who found him in the woods

CRAVEN COUNTY, N.C. — A special visit played out Thursday for the 3-year-old boy who captured the country's attention after getting lost in the North Carolina woods last week.

[RELATED: Celebration, New Bern bear planned to honor Casey Hathaway]

Casey Hathaway and his family stopped by the Craven County Sheriff's Office to visit some of the people who worked tirelessly to find him.

The Sheriff's Office posted images of the visit on their Facebook page.

Hathaway spent nearly three days in the woods, enduring rain and freezing temperatures.

[READ MORE: 3-year-old boy to undergo forensic exam week after being found in NC woods]

The search started after he didn't go back inside his great grandmother's house in Ernul on Jan. 22 after playing outside with other children.

[READ MORE: Mom says 3-year-old found after 2 days missing is doing well]

After more than 48 hours of intense searching, Casey was found unharmed, not far from where he disappeared. Search crews found him caught in prickly shrubs, crying out for his mom.

He spent a few days recovering in the hospital, but was OK.

Cox Media Group