Bailey's family says thanks

THE family of a Strathfieldsaye boy who died tragically have thanked the community and emergency services for their support.Police and State Emergency Service volunteers found eight-year-old Bailey Fuller in a dam near the intersection of Sinclairs Road and Bennetts Road at 1.10am on Saturday.Bailey, pictured, was the son of Roger and Andrea Fuller and brother of Zac.Emergency service crews searched for more than seven hours before finding Bailey.“We want to say a huge thank you to Bendigo police, the SES and the community that went out there looking for our boy,” Mr Fuller said.“It was mind-boggling to see people we did not know out there. And we are thankful to the lady whose house was taken over as the command station.”Bailey left his Sullivans Road home on his brother’s red mountain bike about 5pm on Friday. Mr Fuller said Bailey loved riding the bike, often going too fast for his family to keep pace.The red bike was found in a ditch outside 310 Bennetts Road about 5.30pm. An air ambulance scanned the surrounds from the sky while police, SES and community members searched at ground level.The police air wing and dog squad joined the search after dark.“The stories that we have heard, right down to guys sitting at Braidie’s Tavern who said ‘what are we doing sitting here’ and went out looking,” Mr Fuller said.“I ran into people while I was out there, I didn’t say who I was, they had heard it on the radio news and they came out, no questions whatsoever.“There was a house four doors up celebrating a junior cricket week win and all the people, 30 odd, went looking. The community response... the amount of support is amazing.”People have left tributes for Bailey and his family on the Bendigo Advertiser website.Mr Fuller said the family had been overwhelmed by the public’s response.“I am heavily involved in the cycling community,” Mr Fuller said.“Saturday mornings we ride over Bennetts every week.“They chose not to ride Bennetts as a mark of respect yesterday. They are planning other things, too.”A Victoria Police statement incorrectly stated that Bailey was nine.Mr Fuller said Bailey had an intellectual disability, which was incorrectly reported in metropolitan media.Police will prepare a report for the coroner.