HENRY COUNTY, Va. (rbs news now) — An 8-year-old child reported missing Tuesday was safely located in a wooded area of Henry County after deputies used specialized tracking equipment and a drone.

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office said the child was found December 16 in the Serenity Drive area following a search involving deputies and Virginia State Police troopers.

The child was unharmed and located before nightfall as temperatures were dropping.

After receiving the report, deputies immediately began search operations.

Because the child was enrolled in the Project Lifesaver program, deputies were able to quickly deploy tracking equipment designed to locate individuals wearing a transmitter.

Deputy Elgin detected a faint signal indicating the transmitter was a significant distance away from the initial search area.

Deputy Austin Steffey then launched an aerial drone and observed possible movement in a wooded area, helping deputies narrow their search.

Deputy Nick Farley and other deputies, along with state police troopers, entered the dense woods.

Farley later heard the child calling out and directed responders to the location, where the child was found in a low-lying wooded area more than a half-mile from where the search began.

In a moment deputies described as especially meaningful, the child was found singing a Christmas song after being located.

Project Lifesaver is offered at no cost to participating families.

Those with at-risk loved ones who may benefit from the program are encouraged to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 276-656-4200 for more information.

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