Deputies Use Drone To Rescue Juvenile Probation Camp Escapee

FORESTVILLE, CA — A minor serving a sentence at the Sonoma County Probation Camp escaped the facility Tuesday morning but wound up having to be rescued from a pond by Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies, authorities said.

At 7:05 a.m. Tuesday, staff at the probation camp at 7400 Steve Olson Road saw the juvenile running away toward Eastside Road, sheriff's Sgt. Juan Valencia said in a news release.

Deputies were dispatched and within two minutes, were on scene and set up a perimeter, Valencia said.

The area was searched from the ground and with the use of a drone.

The escapee was spotted by one of the deputies at 8:26 a.m. in a heavily wooded area, but the deputy lost sight of him.

A few minutes later, the deputy heard someone calling for help. Using the drone, the deputy was able to located the boy: he was in a pond and was having a hard time staying afloat, Valencia said.

The boy did not know how to swim.

The Forestville Fire Department was asked to respond with its swift-water rescue boat and was on its way but the "deputies realized they could not wait and went into the water to rescue him," Valencia said.

The deputies used long tree branches to make a daisy chain to pull the minor out of the pond, the sergeant said.

After the boy was evaluated by medical personnel, he was booked back into Sonoma County Juvenile Hall, according to Valencia.

The Sonoma County Probation Camp is a 24-bed, short-term correctional treatment facility under the administration of the Sonoma County Probation Department for 15-1/2 to 18-year-old males committed by the Juvenile Court. Those who serve time at the camp learn skills such as carpentry while building items such as picnic tables and park benches.

The name of the minor who escaped Tuesday morning was not disclosed by the sheriff's office.