Boy Found Alive After Search: Roman Heilman found alive; horseback riders spot him

A massive search involving hundreds of volunteers, emergency responders and horseback riders came to a remarkable end in eastern Kentucky after a six-year-old boy with autism, who had been missing for nearly 44 hours, was found alive in the woods. Roman Heilman had spent two nights outdoors in difficult weather before emerging from the thick brush alongside a small dog. His rescue brought relief to a community that had spent days searching the rugged terrain for him.

According to reports by CBS News, WYMT and the Kentucky State Police, Roman was found on November 3, after disappearing from his home in Louisa, Lawrence County, on November 1. Roman was last seen around 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 1, near his home on Tadpole Road.

Following his disappearance, the Kentucky State Police issued an IAN Alert, a system used when children with autism or mental health conditions go missing and are believed to be in danger.The search quickly grew into a large-scale operation, drawing more than 300 volunteers from Kentucky and neighbouring states.