An advanced tech tool played a crucial role in helping Prince George’s County police locate a missing 8-year-old boy with autism.
A few weeks ago, young Nadeem Conde disappeared late at night from his Upper Marlboro home, sending his family into a panic. His mother, Fatmata Zine, feared the worst, knowing her son’s strong attraction to water and suspecting he may have drowned.
Police responded to the missing child report around 11 p.m. and launched a search effort involving officers and a police helicopter equipped with heat-sensing technology.
Cpl. Everett Mason Jr., who had just finished another call, joined the search, noting the number of water sources in the area. After officers checked the pool without success, the department deployed its helicopter, operated by Cpl. Chris Elrod.
Using a mapping system and thermal imaging, Elrod scanned the area for body heat signatures. After about 20–30 minutes, he detected Conde at the edge of a nearby lake, partially submerged.
“I saw him in the water, and my heart sank,” said Elrod. “He had been deeper in at some point, and I didn’t want him going back in.”
Cpl. Mason rushed to the spot and pulled the boy from the cold water. “He was wet from the shoulders down,” Mason said. “He had clearly been in the water. It was a huge relief finding him.”
Zine expressed her gratitude to the officers for bringing her son home safely, saying, “I had no hope, but they brought it back.”
Since the incident, Zine has taken extra precautions, including changing locks and installing cameras. However, Conde managed to leave the house again through a bathroom window, highlighting the ongoing challenges she faces. “It’s very devastating,” she said. “Handling him alone is incredibly stressful.”
