Drone Captures Moment Lost Child Is Found

May 1, 2023

A police-operated drone successfully located a missing child in Ellensburg, Washington.

drone finds missing child
Credit: Kittitas County Sheriff

A family in the Umptanum area called 911 to report their 3-year old daughter had ran off into the rough sagebrush around their remote residence. They had already searched for 20 minutes and were worried about their little girl out among the steep canyons and other hazards of the high country where they live.

Kittitas County Sheriff's Deputies and Detectives arrived within minutes to help the family search for their missing daughter. The Sheriff's Office and Kittitas Valley Fire & Rescue launched aerial drones to coordinate with ground personnel.

A drone pilot spotted the toddler in the brush and direct people on the ground to her location.

She had wandered for about two hours to end up around 300 yards from the house in a shallow ravine, surrounded by shrubs.

Watch the drone rescue footage in the video below.

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