OCSD, Santa Ana Police Officers Honored For Saving Boy

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA —Last summer, a disturbing call reached the Duke 1 Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter crew as their shift was ending. A 4-year-old boy was reported missing from Santa Ana’s Jerome Park after attending a birthday party.

"The call came in on July 27: A 4-year-old boy reported missing at Santa Ana’s Jerome Park," OCSD said in recent release.

The child in question had attended a birthday party. Like many of his friends, he was running on the playground. However, while the other children returned to their families, the 4-year-old was nowhere to be found.

According to OCSD, their helicopter crew, Duke 1, had just finished a two-hour patrol flight and was making its final descent when the crew made the decision to self-dispatch, even though the call was routine in nature.

"A quick glance to the fuel gauge let pilot Santa Ana Police department, Corporal Jeff Van Es and OCSD Deputy Brian Stockbridge know they had about 30 minutes of flight time left," they said.

As luck would have it, thirty minutes would be more than enough to distribute quick information and locate the missing boy. Using Duke’s PA system, the crew repeated the child’s name, what he was wearing and his physical description as they circled overhead.

Citizens in the area stopped and listened.

"After about 15 minutes of searching and making announcements, residents starting calling dispatch to report a suspicious man in his 20s with a little boy matching the description," they said. "The man was a few blocks from the park walking with the boy near a shopping center at McFadden Avenue and Sullivan Street."

Callers reported the man was attempting to solicit money from passersby.

"Thanks to the alerts from Duke, citizens spotted the boy and questioned adult with him, who initially claimed to be his father," they said. "The suspect became nervous and fled."

A group of Good Samaritans kept the boy safe until authorities arrived.

"The Santa Ana Police Department arrested the suspect, and the man admitted to investigators he kidnapped the boy with the intent to sexually assault him," they said.

The suspect was booked on suspicion of kidnapping for the purpose of lewd acts with a child and kidnapping.

Santa Ana Police Department at their annual Employee Recognition and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 26, honored Van Es and Stockbridge with the Chief’s Award.

The suspect currently is in jail and facing life in prison, according to OCSD.

OCSD photo