AquaEye Locates Missing Teen in Michigan Pond During Multi-Agency Search
AquaEye delivers targeted underwater detection, providing clarity and closure in emotionally charged and time-sensitive recoveries.
A 16-year-old boy went missing after fleeing from police in White Lake Township, Michigan. The incident began in the early morning hours when police responded to an alarm at a local Tractor Supply Co. Officers encountered two teens on the roof of the building, who then fled on foot into a nearby wooded area. While one individual was quickly apprehended, the second disappeared into the night.
Despite an immediate search using K9 units, the missing teen could not be located. Hours later, when he did not return home, he was reported missing by his family. The search intensified, with White Lake Township Police and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office combing the nearby area.
Organization Name
Oakland County Sheriff
Location
White Lake Township, Oakland County, Michigan
By evening, search and rescue teams turned to advanced tools, deploying an AquaEye handheld intelligent sonar in a nearby pond in a wooded by residential area. “Our search and rescue team put in the AquaEye, which is basically a small scan sonar device where they can look at objects in the water to see if something bears additional investigation,” said Sheriff Michael Bouchard. “They saw something that they felt did, they put divers in the water and recovered them.”
While the outcome was heartbreaking, AquaEye enabled teams to bring the teen home to his family, cutting through uncertainty and delivering answers in a deeply emotional and complex situation. It was not said what crime, if any, occured that night, but the teen’s father described it as “a childish prank that ended in tragedy.”
In cases where every hour brings greater anguish for loved ones, AquaEye provides critical underwater detection that speeds recovery efforts and supports responders working under extreme emotional pressure. The deployment in White Lake Township underscores the device’s value in delivering not just operational efficiency, but closure to the families involved and answers to investigators.
