Tulsa Police Credit TPD Helicopter For Finding Missing Boy

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Police credit their helicopter, just back in the air after being grounded by budget cuts, with the safe return of a missing autistic boy Thursday afternoon.

Anthony Lee, 9, disappeared from the Mark Twain Elementary School at 541 South 43rd West Avenue just before 3 p.m. Thursday.

Tulsa Police spotted him from their helicopter two and a half hours later walking on a nearby trail.

The boy's father told the News On 6, he's grateful to have his son back.

"In this instance, I was glad to see every police car I could see," he said.  "I'm happy to see him, I'm thinking the worst case scenario and to find out he wanted to walk on the trial, you know."

Officers had set up a perimeter on the ground, but said the area isn't easily accessible and it would've been difficult to find Anthony without an eye in the sky.