CALDWELL, Idaho — Caldwell Police officers used drone technology to locate two missing young children on Thursday morning, safely reuniting the 2- and 3-year-olds with their family.
Officers were dispatched at around 8:20 a.m. to the 1400 block of Hope Lane for a report of two missing children. The parent reported searching for about an hour before calling police.
As officers responded to the scene, personnel assigned to the Caldwell Police Department's Real Time Information Center (RTIC) deployed the department's Skydio Drone First Responder Program (DFR) and began searching from the air. Officers on the ground simultaneously searched the apartment complex and surrounding area while establishing a perimeter for an expanded search.
Within minutes, the drone operator spotted the two children in a secluded and wooded area roughly 500 yards from the residence, a location that was difficult to see and access from the ground.
Using the drone's aerial view, the operator guided officers directly to the children. Both were safely located and treated for minor injuries sustained while navigating the terrain.
Chief Rex Ingram said the outcome reflects the department's commitment to equipping officers with tools that enhance their capabilities in the field.
"When a child is missing, every minute matters," Ingram said. "This is exactly why we continue to invest in technology that gives our officers additional tools to protect our community. Our drone didn't replace the officers searching on the ground, it gave them another set of eyes from above and allowed us to locate these children quickly in an area that would have been difficult to search on foot. Most importantly, two children are safe and back with their family."
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