The Ellis County Press: Air alert helps find missing boy

Air alert helps find missing boy
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Editor on 10/08/2009 15:02:00


BETHANY BERRY
The Ellis County Press
LANCASTER Area police used loudspeakers from the Texas Department of Public
Safety to locate a 9-year-old boy missing for almost an entire day Saturday,
Oct. 3.
The family of Laquentis Washington almost lost hope after they could not find
Washington after playing a game of football with a friend Friday, Oct. 2, near
his home in the 1400 block of N. Houston School Road.
According to reports, search dogs and volunteers scoured the streets to find
him, but after hours of searching things began to look dim.
Lancaster Police Department used a helicopter from the TDPS to broadcast a
message about the missing child, using a bullhorn which could be heard clearly
over the roaring chopper blades.
Washington was safe after all, spending the night at a friends house, but failed
to inform his parents.
The friends family alerted the police about his whereabouts and Washingtons
family was notified.
Using a helicopter as a public address system is new tool for the state, and can
be used to help find missing children or lost seniors.