HOLLY, Mich. – The 18-month-old boy who sparked a large police search after being seen wandering alone on a homeowner’s Ring camera has been found safe, according to the Holly Police Department.
Police said they received a tip around 7:20 p.m. Friday (June 19) that the child may live at a home near where he was captured on camera in the 500 block of Elm Street.
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Officers said they had previously visited the home three times during repeated neighborhood canvassing.
Police said the parents initially denied that the child in the video was theirs.
After officers presented new information, police said the parents acknowledged the child had wandered away from the home without their knowledge and returned on his own.
Officials said they told officers they feared getting in trouble.
Officers visually confirmed the child, an 18-month-old boy, was safe and verified he was wearing the same clothing seen in the Ring camera images.
Police said they are continuing their investigation with the family.
“We thank the community and the media for sharing this story, which resulted in its closure,” Holly police said in a Facebook statement. “We also thank our law enforcement partners at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for the immediate response of a K9, drone, and ultimately the helicopter to search ponds and wooded areas.”
Search sparked after Ring camera alert
The search began Friday morning after a homeowner received an alert from a Ring camera system at approximately 11:54 a.m. showing what appeared to be a young child walking through a driveway.
Holly police Chief Jerry Narsh said the homeowner immediately contacted police after seeing the child near a roadway.
“The image he saw was startling,” Narsh said earlier Friday. “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.”
Police said there had been no reports of a missing child in Holly or the surrounding area.
Officers canvassed the neighborhood, knocked on doors, reviewed camera footage, and worked with residents who joined the search after the images spread online.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office assisted with a K-9 team, a drone, and a helicopter equipped with thermal-imaging technology.
Authorities also checked nearby ponds and wooded areas. The helicopter search ended without finding the child.
Community response helps close case
Police thanked residents and media outlets who shared the child’s image and helped raise awareness of the search.
Officials had urged anyone who recognized the child or had information to call the Holly Police Department dispatch center rather than posting tips online.
“Nothing is more pressing or terrifying for both a parent or law enforcement than a lost child,” Narsh said during the search.
Police said the child’s safety was the top priority and praised the officers and community members who helped find him.
The investigation remains ongoing.