A quick-thinking K9 officer and his skilled bloodhound partner successfully located the home of a non-verbal child who had wandered away in Monroe County, North Carolina, using an innovative reverse tracking technique.
On July 7th, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of a child walking alone on Waxhaw Indian Trail Road. Upon arrival, Deputy B. Belk found the young boy, who was autistic and unable to communicate verbally, making it impossible to determine where he lived.
That's when Deputy Belk and his one-year-old bloodhound partner Remi employed an unconventional approach. Instead of tracking where the child went, they decided to trace backward to find where he came from.
Using sterile gauze, Deputy Belk collected the child's scent from his forearms and neck. When presented with the scent, Remi successfully led officers along the boy's original path for approximately half a mile, ultimately discovering his home in a nearby neighborhood.
At the residence, Deputy Belk found an open garage door, indicating the child had left unnoticed. After investigation, officers determined no criminal negligence had occurred. The relieved parents were reunited with their son, and Deputy Belk provided guidance on preventing similar incidents.
Lieutenant James Maye, Public Information Officer, told CNN this reverse tracking method was unprecedented in their department's experience. "I've been around for 10 or 12 years. I've never heard anything like this being done," he said.
The success of this innovative technique has prompted the department to incorporate reverse tracking into their K9 training program, potentially helping more lost children find their way home in the future.