Teens lived in cave while missing for five days in bush

Too tired and dehydrated to walk, 14-year-old Robert Whitfield showed up at Campbelltown Hospital today after five days in the bush.

His mother Rachel was too relieved to be angry.

“He’s pretty shaken up and he’s skin (and bone) at the moment,” she said.

Robert and a 14-year-old friend went missing on Monday, sparking a major search by police and SES volunteers in rough country bordering Campbelltown in southwest Sydney.

The young teenagers had nothing to eat, drank water out of puddles and sheltered in a cave.

“He had some bruises on his arms,” Ms Whitfield said.

Robert was badly dehydrated when he returned to civilisation this morning, given water and watermelon by police.

His friend appeared shortly after.

Both teenagers were questioned by police about an incident on Monday involving a car chase.

Another teenager, 15, has been arrested over the theft of a BMW.

Robert and his friend have been cautioned by police and will stay in hospital overnight.