Missing 6-Year-Old Found Safe After Horseback Volunteers Join 3-Day Mountain Search Near the WV Line

Sometimes the best news of the day comes riding out of the hills. A 6-year-old boy who had been missing for nearly three days in the mountains of Lawrence County, Kentucky, just across the Big Sandy from West Virginia, was found safe Tuesday, and it was a crew of volunteers on horseback who brought him home.

Kentucky State Police announced late Tuesday morning that Roman Heilman had been located safe. Roman, who has autism and is nonverbal, had wandered away from his family's home on Tadpole Road near Louisa around 4 p.m. Sunday. State police issued an IAN Alert, the emergency alert Kentucky uses when a child with autism or a cognitive disability goes missing and may be in danger.

Hundreds turned out to search

For three days, the woods, ridges and riverbanks around Louisa were full of people looking for him. Law enforcement agencies worked alongside hundreds of volunteers, with searchers on foot, drones and aircraft overhead, and riders on horseback combing the hillsides. In announcing the good news, state police thanked their local, state and federal partners and the hundreds of volunteers who helped.

A text, a few horses and a long ride

According to one of the riders, a horse trail rider from Louisa, the effort started with a text from a friend who works as a welder across the state line in West Virginia, suggesting they take off work and go find the boy. About ten riders were in the woods before daylight Tuesday and covered more than 14 miles on horseback.

About a mile and a half from his home, Roman walked out of the brush and onto the horse trail, with a little dog right there with him. The rider said he was covered in briar scratches but in good shape. The riders gave him water, a banana and a couple of fruit snacks, wrapped him in a sweatshirt and carried him down the mountain on horseback.

Roman was checked out by emergency medical crews. The rider said he appeared to be in good shape and just a little dehydrated. State police had not released further details about his condition Tuesday.

Neighbors helping neighbors

Folks along the Tug and Big Sandy know there isn't much of a line between Kentucky and West Virginia when somebody's child is lost in the woods. People drop what they're doing, saddle up and go. Tuesday, that's exactly what happened, and a little boy is back with his family because of it.

To every searcher, rider, pilot, deputy, trooper and neighbor who spent the last three days in those hills: thank you. That's Appalachia at its best.