HOLLY, Mich. – Police said they have finished searching a neighborhood in Holly for a missing toddler.
Police were asking for the public’s help identifying the toddler captured on a homeowner’s Ring camera after an extensive search failed to determine the child’s identity or whereabouts.
The child, believed to be between two and three years old, was spotted walking alone on Friday (June 19) shortly before noon in the 500 block of Elm Street, according to Holly Police Chief Jerry Narsh.
At approximately 11:54 a.m., a homeowner received a notification from a Ring camera showing the child walking through a driveway toward what Narsh described as a busy roadway.
“The image he (the homeowner) saw was startling,” Narsh said. “It appeared to be a two to 3-year-old child in his driveway, walking toward what can be a busy road on Elm Street.”
The homeowner immediately contacted police, launching a large-scale search effort involving local officers, residents, and multiple resources from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
“There is nothing more pressing or terrifying for both a parent or law enforcement than a lost child,” Narsh said. “In this case, we don’t know if the child is lost.”
Search effort expands
Officers canvassed the neighborhood, knocked on doors, and spoke with residents, but were unable to identify the child or locate anyone searching for a missing toddler.
Community members also joined the effort after the child’s image was shared on social media.
As the search expanded, authorities requested assistance from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, which deployed K-9 teams and a drone to cover the area.
Because several ponds and lakes are located nearby, searchers also checked bodies of water on foot.
Officials also requested a sheriff’s office helicopter equipped with thermal imaging technology to further ensure the child’s safety. The aerial search concluded without locating the child.
“The helicopter has responded and has left with negative results,” Narsh said.
Few clues in image
Investigators reviewed the available image but say it provides few clues.
“We can’t tell what’s in the child’s hand or even if the child has shoes on,” Narsh said. “It’s hard to tell in the image.”
Officials said they are hopeful the child may have briefly wandered away from home and returned safely without a parent or guardian realizing it.
“We’re kind of hoping that perhaps this child knew how to get out of a home and get back in, and the parents were none the wiser,” Narsh said.
Despite that possibility, police said they will continue searching until they can verify the child’s identity and well-being.
“Our officers have a pretty good working knowledge of their community. They don’t recognize this child,” Narsh said. “Certainly no one in the area does.”
How to help
The Holly Police Department has posted an image of the child on its social media pages and is urging anyone with information to contact authorities directly rather than posting tips online.
“We will update the public from that page, but we ask that people do not post tips to the page,” Narsh said. “Rather, call our dispatch center.”
Tips should be directed to dispatch at 248-858-4911.
“They are the most precious commodity that we have in our lives as our children,” Narsh said. “Certainly, our law enforcement officers are going to put everything into this until we have some answers.”
Authorities remain focused on determining the child’s identity and confirming the child’s safety.
“At this point, we are still actively searching, trying to locate the child or at least the identity of the child to determine their health and well-being,” Narsh said.
Watch the full presser below