Police bloodhound sniffs out missing 3-year-old with autism in less than 30 minutes

Deputies in the Florida Panhandle say they were able to find a special needs child who had gone missing in a wooded area in less than a half-hour with the help of their bloodhounds.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that deputies responded to the call shortly before noon Sunday. News outlets report 3-year-old Aedric Hughes had been staying at his grandmother’s Milton home and managed to unlock the door and leave.

Deputies Robert Lenzo and Josh Chandler, as well as K-9s Copper and Zinc, searched the area. Copper found the boy about 200 yards away. He had several scratches but no serious injuries.

The sheriff’s office started using bloodhounds last year. Since then, the dogs have found nine people, including senior citizens, children and fleeing suspects.