A Brooklyn, NY, boy’s attempt at skipping school took a turn he never saw coming, after he was quickly reported missing by his parents. But it all came to a fast end, thanks to a pilot, a news station and an eagle-eyed reporter.
As CBS 2’s news helicopter scoured the city, while the reporter aired the news about the missing boy, he saw something shocking. The 9-year-old, who had been reported missing earlier that morning, was found lounging on the rooftop of his family’s apartment building. The boy had left for school as usual, but a short time later when his parents realized he never arrived, they called 911.
An aerial view of the ‘missing’ boy playing on his family’s rooftop. Photo by CBS 2
Police quickly issued an alert, describing the boy’s distinctive orange tie, which prompted CBS 2 NY to send a news chopper to the scene. As aerial reporter Dan Rice scanned the area, he spotted the child sitting comfortably on a chair on the roof, completely absorbed in his iPad.
“We zoomed in with the camera,” Rice recounted. “I looked down at my notes and saw the description of what the child was wearing. I look back at the child, and he’s wearing everything in the description.” It was a moment of relief and disbelief as Rice realized they had found the missing boy.
An aerial view of the ‘missing’ boy. Photo by CBS 2
Rice immediately notified the NYPD, who arrived on the roof to find the child still enjoying his time. “He just packs up his computer and his book bag and goes off with the police officers,” Rice said. The officers even gave a thumbs-up to the helicopter crew as they took the boy back to his parents, who were understandably overjoyed. A neighbor who had seen the boy earlier was also taken by surprise. “I went up there with my wife to have a cup of coffee around 8 a.m.,” the neighbor said.
There’s a swinging bench up there, and the kid was sitting there, playing on his iPad. I thought his parents gave him permission to go up there. It’s a community place, so I didn’t think much of it.”
For Rice, this unexpected discovery was a career highlight. “To be able to find that child for the parents, it was a really gratifying experience,” he said. While it’s unclear if the boy was meant to attend school or a summer program that day, his rooftop escapade turned into quite the story, but with a happy ending, much to everyone’s relief.
