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.
