Tense Moments Until Student Located

A missing child report has a happy ending on Monday.  A Tulsa elementary school staff put out an alert immediately after believing a four-year old boy was missing from the grounds.  The News On 6's crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports the boy was found safe and sound, and everyone involved used it as a lesson for the future.

A little boy named John was the cause of all the excitement.  He and the preacher who was caring for him had no idea what a fuss was going on at his school where he'd been enrolled and had attended one day last week.

"The police showed up at our church and talked to my secretary and said there was an APB on John, city-wide," said Brian Rauschenberger.

Teachers thought they saw John in the school gym Monday morning, where kids are dropped off each day.  When the teacher got the four-year-olds to the classroom and took roll, John wasn't there and that set everything in motion.

The principal called the school police chief and 911 and immediately had teachers begin a search.  About 15 officers, the police helicopter and K-9 officers also joined the search.

"We try to make sure they're not on campus.  Could be hiding and there's a tremendous wooded area with walking trails.  And, if they left, we think, where would they go? Home. So, we cover those bases as well as make phone calls about what transpired," said Tulsa Public Schools' Police Chief Gary Rudick.

That's how they learned John was staying with his preacher, because John's mother had been arrested due to her drinking problem.

Tulsa Police could've called it a day, but, took time to help change the impressions of a little boy.

"John's got a bad idea of what police do unfortunately because of his background, but they did great PR work this morning, they let him get on the motorcycle, meet the K-9 police dog, really a good job and he came away saying, police are nice.  Police are good," said Brian Rauschenberger.

Pastor Rauschenberger says another good thing that came from this is he now knows where John goes to school and can take him there.

The school learned its procedures worked perfectly.   And, they remind all parents and guardians that each time you take or pick up a child from school; you must check them in and check them out.      

School officials say they believed the student went missing shortly before 9 a.m. Monday at Remington Elementary School at 2524 West 53rd Street.