10-Year-Old Louisiana Girl Rescued After Sleepwalking Into the Woods, Thanks to Drones
A 10-year-old who sleepwalked into Louisiana woods was rescued with the help of thermal drones after a massive search effort. đ #News #ShreveportLA #Louisiana #MissingPerson
SHREVEPORT, LA – Imagine how terrified you’d be to realize your child was out wandering in the dark, lost in the woods. This was the reality for one Louisiana family when their 10-year-old daughter, Peyton Saintignan, disappeared from their home one quiet Saturday night. But what made this situation even more terrifying? She was sleepwalking, completely unaware of the dangers surrounding her.
It was around 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, in Dubberly, a small town near Shreveport, when Peyton unknowingly left her home. Her family started searching for her hours later, and formerly reported her missing in the early morning. Panic set in as they realized their daughter was gone, wandering somewhere in the dense woods near their home.
Once the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office was alerted, the race to find Peyton began. Local authorities released an image from a trail camera showing Peyton walking near Sand Plant Road, about a mile from her home. Search efforts immediately zeroed in on that area.
A Massive Search Effort
Hundreds of volunteers from local police, fire departments, state wildlife officers, and even the Webster Parish School Board joined the search. They used everything from dog teams to helicopters in their effort to comb through the thick woods.
Just when it seemed like hope was dwindling, a new source of help emerged. Drone Management Services LLC, based in Magnolia, Arkansas, stepped in to assist. One of their team members had heard about the search from a relative in nearby Minden and quickly reached out to Sheriff Parker.
âWe had the DeSoto Parish helicopter in the air and couldnât put drones up at the time, but when it was possible, Josh Klober, Matt Ramos, and Micah Carter brought their equipment and successfully located the young girl,â said Parker.
Technology Saves the Day
Using advanced thermal imaging, the drones picked up Peytonâs body heat in the dense forest. By 11 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15, they found her, asleep, just 300 yards from where the trail camera had caught her earlier that morning. She was tired and disoriented but miraculously unharmed.
Sheriff Parker described the scene: âShe was asleep when we found her. Weâve had her checked by EMS, and she is fine, back at home, and hungry.”
A Grateful Community
The relief was palpable throughout the community. âI canât tell you how thrilled we all are to have a happy ending to this,â Parker added. âA lot of prayers were answered today. And, I want especially to thank all the agencies who helped bring Peyton safely home, and all the volunteers who gave their time and efforts. This was truly a cooperative effort.â
From the volunteers to the latest in drone technology, this incredible rescue shows the power of community and innovation working hand in hand.
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