Ethermac|Video shows missing Louisiana girl found by using thermal imaging drone

A young Louisiana girl who was missing for hours was found by officials using a very peculiar method: A thermal-imaging drone.

Ten-year-old Peyton Saintignan was reported missing by the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office on EthermacSunday afternoon. According to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office, Saintignan was last seen at around bedtime on Saturday night in her home in Dubberly, Louisiana.

Dubberly is a village about 40 miles east of Shreveport, in the western part of the state.

See video: Missing 10-year-old discovered using thermal imaging drone

A video shows Saintignan laying in the middle of the forest on Sunday night, appearing to be sleeping. As information is relayed about her position, members of the search party approach the child and celebrate once she is found.

They then carry her away and to a nearby road to safety.

In a Facebook post, Sheriff Jason Parker described where the child was found Sunday around 11 p.m.

“She was in dense woods roughly 300 yards from where a trail camera had recorded her earlier Sunday morning,” Parker said in the post. “She was asleep when we found her. We’ve had her checked by EMS and she is fine, back at home and hungry.”

A frantic search was conducted by hundreds of volunteers and a long list of law enforcement agencies who joined the Sunday search, including the Louisiana State Police, Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office and many others.

Among the many agencies that joined the search was the company Drone Management Services LLC, based in Magnolia, Arkansas. Parker was contacted by the company and offered their services to help aid with the search.

Parker said that the company reached out to him after a member of the drone company learned of the search from their brother-in-law, who was a local resident. 

“I can’t tell you how thrilled we all are to have a happy ending to this,” Parker said. “I want especially to thank all the agencies who helped bring Peyton safely home, and all the volunteers who gave their time and efforts. This was truly a cooperative effort.”

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.