Milton, Wisconsin, USA — When four-year-old Lou Easton disappeared from her backyard in Milton late last month, her family was terrified.

The little girl, who is autistic, nonverbal and doesn’t feel pain, had quietly climbed the fence and vanished barefoot before anyone could stop her.

“We had to learn how to be different parents to her,” said her mother, Angie Easton of her child.

“She has no danger concerns. Like, I think the scariest thing is knowing she crossed that road because she doesn’t know to look both ways.”

Rock County deputies quickly launched a large-scale search. Six sheriff’s drones were deployed. K-9 units were brought in. About 600 volunteers were put on standby, ready to fan out across the area.

But after four hours of intensive efforts, there was still no sign of Lou.

“They had already been looking for her in the field,” Easton said.

“They couldn’t catch her scent off of where she was. Four hours of just agony — not knowing.”

The family believed Lou may have wandered nearly half a mile from home, likely lost in a dense cornfield.

“She doesn’t know things can hurt her,” Easton said.

“This can happen to any family, but those with children with special needs — it’s extremely scary because she can’t ask for help.”

“We also knew that she wouldn’t know to come home because of her autism. She wouldn’t know that she’s hungry. She should try and head home.”

With the sun beginning to set, Rock County officials turned to one last option — a civilian volunteer. Jeremy Harring-Spoerl, a drone pilot with Wisco Aerial and Ground Services, was given permission to join the search.

Wisco Aerial & Ground Services, also known as WAGS, provides both aerial and ground-based services, primarily focusing on lot preparation for real estate sales and aerial imaging solutions.

They offer services like land clearing, debris removal, and lot leveling, as well as aerial photography and mapping.

“I was pretty nervous going into it,” Harring-Spoerl said.

“I’ve done horses, dogs. I’ve gotten calls for cattle that never actually got there. They usually found one before that or found another source.”

Roughly 40 minutes after he launched his drone, Harring-Spoerl spotted Lou.

“She’s playing in the dirt,” a voice confirmed over the county scanner.

“She’s directly below the blinking white light drone.”

Rescue teams moved in and pulled the little girl safely from the field.

“Nothing could compare to that moment,” Harring-Spoerl said.

“I was excited. I couldn’t even function. I couldn’t even think.”

“I would never wanna go through it again to get this outcome,” Easton said.

“But it was the best outcome you could ask for.”

In response, local company, Lemke Fencing has offered to donate and install a taller backyard fence for the family.

This story first appeared in Spectrum News.