DUCK, N.C. (WAVY) – A 3-year-old child who went missing Wednesday night is back safe with his family, following a massive multi-agency search.

The child was located by the Duck Police Department and the Duck Fire Department, according to a news release.

They responded to Osprey Ridge Rd. around 9:30 p.m. A family visiting from Lynchburg reported that their autistic, non-verbal 3-year-old child was missing from the home.

A coordinated search operation was quickly initiated. Nearly 75 personnel from the following agencies assisted:

  • Dare County Sheriff’s Office
  • Dare County EMS
  • Dare County Emergency Management
  • North Carolina State Highway Patrol
  • Southern Shores Police Department
  • Nags Head Police Department
  • Currituck County Sheriff’s Office
  • United States Coast Guard

The Duck Police Department and Duck Fire Department went house-to-house searching for the child.

The U.S. Coast Guard deployed a helicopter equipped with thermal imaging technology. And social media was used to alert the public.

Ultimately, a homeowner who saw the social media alert contacted police to report that the door to his nearby home was unlocked. A search team responded to the home and found the child asleep on a couch. He was determined to be safe and reunited with his family.

The all-clear was given at 12:44 a.m.

With the family’s consent, the child was enrolled in Project Lifesaver, a free public safety program that equips people prone to wandering with a battery-operated transmitter worn as a bracelet.

If the child were to go missing again, his family could call 911 to notify the Duck Police Department. Officers trained in the use of specialized radio-frequency tracking equipment can quickly locate the person using this equipment.

“We are extremely grateful for the tireless work of all responding agencies and the support from our community,” said Duck Police Chief Jeff Ackerman. “Thanks to this unified effort and the watchful eye of a concerned homeowner, a potentially tragic situation ended in the best possible way.”

Click here for more information on Project Lifesaver, which was founded in Chesapeake, Virginia, in 1999. The program is offered throughout the country now. To find an agency near you, click here.