Missing 3-Year-Old Wisconsin Boy Found in 100-Acre Cornfield: See the Video

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office responded to a call that the child went missing on Sunday, Aug. 25

The help of drone technology led police to find a missing Wisconsin boy who was lost inside of a massive cornfield.

On Sunday, Aug. 25, the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at 8:49 p.m. local time from the parent of a 3-year-old boy who went missing inside the “standing cornfield” behind the family’s home, the authorities said in a release posted to Facebook on Aug. 30.

After arriving at the scene, deputies confirmed that the young boy “was last seen at approximately 7:30 p.m. and all of the barns and buildings on the property had been thoroughly searched.”

Per the release, it was at this time that authorities called upon the Alto Fire Department to help search the 100-acre area and requested drone operators from the City of Fond du Lac Police Department and their own department to assist with finding the child.

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According to the sheriff's office, they ended up needing a drone with thermal capabilities to navigate the night time conditions and cover the large area in a shorter amount of time. “The Fond du Lac Police Department Technology Response Group assisted, and within minutes the drone operator was able to direct ground units to the child,” the authorities said.

At 9:30 p.m. local time, the drone detected a heat spot in the cornfield. It then was able to guide a deputy and fire officials to the exact location of the boy 16 minutes later, officials said.

Representatives from the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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In an interview with local ABC affiliate WISN, Lt. Alex Volm of the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office said the boy had “been chasing a cat into the cornfield.”

“A harmless thing, you know, but it could have turned out really bad had we not had the opportunity to use our tools and collaborate with our law enforcement partners,” Volm added.

After the boy was safely found and returned to his family, the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office stressed the importance of drone technology in these types of situations.

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“Instances like these highlight the importance of technology and collaboration amongst law enforcement in our community,” the authorities said, per the release.

They added, “Without the use of the thermal imaging drone, it would likely have taken Deputies and other first responders hours to search the entire cornfield and the outcome may have been different.”

Per the Bradenton Herald, the 100-acre cornfield where the child went missing is equivalent in size to 100 football fields.

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