Missing child with autism found in Tennessee creek bank thanks to drone

By Nick Beres

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    SUMNER COUNTY, Tennessee (WTVF) — Seconds count when a child disappears.

Distraught parents reported a 4-year-old went missing in Sumner County.

An immediate response led to a dramatic rescue thanks in large part to the use of drones.

Drones flew high above the Flat Ridge area of White House in Sumner County.

“He was outside with his mom and walked off,” said Sheriff Eric Craddock.

Craddock was among the three dozen searchers trying to navigate through the thick brush looking for the boy.

“The terrain there is steep and it’s fall and leaves falling. It’s rugged terrain,” Craddock said.

But all of those leaves falling made for a clean line of sight from above through the trees, expanding the search quickly.

“We put the drones up and within 20 minutes being up we found the child in the woods,” said Craddock.

Drone operators spotted the boy along the bank of a creek. The sheriff — guided by the drone — made the first contact with the child.

The boy was wet and shivering as Craddock wrapped him in his jacket. He ran him up to EMA director Ken Weidner and the child’s father.

“His dad picked him, and just watching that hug was amazing,” said Weidner.

The little boy was found one hour after the emergency call went out.

He was cold but unharmed.

“It’s amazing getting him back to his family. He’s happy. He’s healthy and it’s the ending we want in every case,” Craddock said.

Since the drone program started here in Sumner County, they’ve had 15 finds or rescues all thanks to the use of drones.

Sheriff Craddock calls the EMA’s drone program a force multiplier.

A drone can cover more ground in ten minutes than ten searchers on the ground in three hours.

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