Missing child located by Las Vegas police drone

A missing child was safely located within minutes after Metropolitan Police Department officers deployed a drone to assist in the search, according to a post on X from the department.

The call came in on Jan. 5, when a family dialed 911 to report their child missing. Metro’s Drone as a First Responder team was activated immediately, launching a drone near Charleston Boulevard and Fort Apache Road.

LVMPD Drone Locates Missing Child

When a family called 911 to report their child was missing on January 5, LVMPD’s Drone as a First Responder (DFR) team responded immediately.

Within minutes, the drone was in the air near Charleston and Fort Apache and used its thermal camera… pic.twitter.com/0RxDGNkgok

— LVMPD (@LVMPD) January 12, 2026

Using a thermal camera, the drone detected a heat signature consistent with a small child behind a nearby backyard. The pilot relayed real-time information to dispatch, enabling officers on the ground — and the child’s family — to be quickly directed to the location.

Video from the incident shows the child in the backyard as officers move in. Moments later, a Metro officer arrives on scene and reunites the child safely with their family.