Girl who went sleepwalking into forest is found curled up by thermal drone --[Reported by Umva mag]

A 10-year-old girl who sleepwalked into the woods near her family's Louisiana home was found through a thermal imaging drone.

Sep 25, 2024 - 07:47

Girl who went sleepwalking into forest is found curled up by thermal drone --[Reported by Umva mag]

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A 10-year-old girl who sleepwalked into the woods and went missing was found in what was ‘truly a miracle’ using a thermal imaging drone.

Peyton Saintignan disappeared around 10pm on September 14 when she unknowingly wandered off into the woods close to her home in Shreveport, Louisiana, said the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Her family and neighbors began a desperate search for her and the sheriff, state police and volunteers numbering in the hundreds joined in an hour later.

Among them was Josh Kolber, the co-owner of Drone Management Services LLC.

I grainy image of Peyton Saintignan in the woods that may have been captured with a trail camera of a hunter. — Peyton Saintignan is safe and back at home after a day long search involving many law enforcement agencies and hundreds of volunteers (Picture: Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office)

Klober traveled around 40 miles from Arkansas with a drone that had a thermal imaging camera.

They used a photo of Peyton captured on a hunter trail camera.

‘We staged up and got everything set up, set the generator up,’ drone operator Josh Kolber told Good Morning America.

‘We had a big, flat-screen TV.’

Peyton Saintignan stands as a man holds her and colorful light shines on them in the woods — The young girl was found with the aid of thermal imaging-equipped drones offered by a Magnolia, Arkansas company that heard of the search and offered assistance (Picture: Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office)

Of all the eyes, ears and tools that were deployed, it was Klober who discovered Peyton roughly a mile-and-a-half from her home, around 11pm on September 15. She was missing a shoe and was curled up.

‘Other than some mosquito bites, she was perfect,’ said Sheriff Jason Parker. ‘It’s truly a miracle that she was unharmed.’

Klober described seeing the child in the same purple and white pajamas that she was wearing when she vanished.

‘She was laying there,’ Klober said. ‘She wasn’t moving and everybody was just kind of holding their breath.’

Ten-year-old Peyton Saintignan is safe and back at home after a day long search Sunday involving many law enforcement agencies and hundreds of volunteers. Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said the young girl was found at 11 p.m. Sunday with the aid of thermal imaging-equipped drones offered by a Magnolia, Arkansas company that heard of the search and offered assistance. ?She was in dense woods roughly 300 yards from where a trail camera had recorded her earlier Sunday morning,? Parker said. ?She was asleep when we found her. We?ve had her checked by EMS and she is fine, back at home and hungry.? Parker said he was contacted by Drone Management Services LLC of Magnolia with the offer of assistance from their specially equipped drones. A member of the company learned of the search from his brother-in-law, a Minden resident. ?We had the DeSoto Parish helicopter in the air and couldn?t 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,? Parker said. During the intense search, a large number of agencies provided personnel and equipment. Those included the Webster Parish Sheriff?s Office, Minden Police Dept., Minden Fire Dept., Homeland Security, DeSoto Parish Sheriff?s Office, Bienville Parish Sheriff?s Office, David Wade Correction Chase Team and LA Wildlife and Fisheries. Also, the Louisiana State Police, Webster Parish School Board, Advanced Ambulance, Daubery Police Dept., Dixie Inn Police Department Crossroads Canine Search and Rescue and numerous other drone and dog teams. ?I can?t tell you how thrilled we all are to have a happy ending to this,? Parker said. ?A 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.? Please click on photos to enlarge and see more information. 13881793 Moment hunt for missing girl, 10, who vanished in Louisiana woods ends in most incredible way — Drone Management Services LLC of Magnolia offered assistance from their specially equipped drones (Picture: Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office)

The best friend of Peyton’s father who was part of the search team woke her up shortly afterward.

First responders and members of Child Protective Services examined Peyton before she went back home, where she was ‘very glad’ to be, Parker said.

‘She was very happy to go back to her loved ones,’ said the sheriff.

Peyton’s family said that she had sleepwalked on various occasions in the past, but never outside of her home.

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