Newly Formed Drone Team Locates Missing Child in Minutes

The team was called after a 4-year-old with autism wandering away from home.

Photo via Jennings County Sheriff's Office.

(Jennings County, Ind.) - On Sunday evening, the Jennings County Sheriff's office responded to a report of a 4-year-old juvenile male with autism who had wandered away from home in a rural area.

Detective Allen Ritchie, who is a member of the newly formed drone team, responded to the scene, and quickly located the child within minutes.

The Jennings County Sheriff's Office recently added three drones as part of our continued efforts to improve public safety and enhance our ability to respond to emergencies.

These drones provide valuable assistance in a variety of situations, including searches for missing persons, and other emergency situations where an aerial perspective can make a difference.

"Investing in technology like this allows our agency to better utilize its resources, improve response capabilities, and ultimately provide a higher level of service to the citizens of Jennings County. Our goal is to continually improve, embrace new technology, and provide our Deputies with the tools necessary to better serve and protect our community. We are thankful for the safe outcome of this incident and remain committed to utilizing every available resource to protect the citizens of Jennings County," reads a statement from the Jennings County Sheriff's Office. 

Detective Ritchie was assisted by Sgt. Dylan Smock, Deputy Chris Amis, and Deputy Matt Miller and Jennings County Central Dispatch