The Washington County Sheriff’s Office located a missing 7-year-old Lake Elmo boy on Sunday by using a tracking signal emitted from his bracelet.
Deputies were called at 1:27 p.m. Feb. 24 on a report of a missing child in the area of the Cimarron Mobile Home Park and Golf Course in Lake Elmo.
Several officers responded to the area to begin the search, along with the Minnesota State Patrol helicopter, Det. Sgt. Lonnie Van Klei said in a news release.
Upon receiving the 911 call, dispatchers identified the child as a participant in the Washington County Sheriff's Office SafetyNet by LoJack program who could be located with a program bracelet.
A team of first responders trained to use the program’s search and rescue equipment were dispatched, Van Klei said, and upon arrival of the equipment found the child in a nearby home about 15 minutes later.
The sheriff’s office credits the SafetyNet program for finding the child so quickly.
According to the news release:
The program addresses the risks associated with the growing market of people with cognitive conditions that wander and become lost. SafetyNet includes a bracelet worn by someone who has a condition — such as Alzheimer’s, autism, Down syndrome and dementia — and is at risk of wandering.
By using the SafetyNet service, public safety agencies can more effectively find and rescue People at Risk, eliminating traditional searches that often take countless man-hours, Van Klei said. And, caregivers gain peace of mind knowing that when a loved one wanders off, there’s a way to bring them back safe and sound.
