Horseback volunteers located 6-year-old Roman Heilman about 1½ miles from home after hundreds of people joined a difficult search.
LOUISA, KY — A 6-year-old boy who spent nearly 44 hours missing in the wooded hills of eastern Kentucky was found alive Tuesday after an intensive search involving hundreds of volunteers, emergency crews, aircraft, drones and horseback teams.
Roman Heilman, who has autism and is nonverbal, disappeared Sunday afternoon near his home on Tadpole Road in Lawrence County. Kentucky State Police issued an IAN Alert as authorities searched the steep, heavily wooded terrain around Louisa. The search took on added urgency as crews found signs that Roman had shed clothing while rain and cold weather threatened the area. He was ultimately located about 1½ miles from home and taken for medical evaluation.
Kentucky State Police said Roman was last seen around 4 p.m. Nov. 1. Local emergency crews responded, and the operation quickly expanded to include state police, Kentucky Emergency Management, the Kentucky National Guard, specialized search-and-rescue teams and volunteers. Searchers worked on foot and horseback while helicopters, drones and equipment with infrared or thermal capabilities scanned areas that were difficult to reach from the ground.
The terrain made the operation especially demanding. Lawrence County Emergency Management Director Travis Hughes described steep hills, thick vegetation and other hazards confronting crews. Authorities also had to organize the large number of people who arrived to help. At one point, officials asked additional volunteers to hold off while coordinators assigned and managed the searchers already in the area.
Search teams found clues that suggested Roman had moved deeper into the hills. Officials said muddy footprints and pieces of his clothing were located during the search. The discovery raised concern because deteriorating weather meant the child could be outdoors with little or no protection. Hughes said officials responded by sending horseback teams into the difficult terrain alongside ground searchers.
Because Roman is autistic and nonverbal, searchers were also given information about ways he might respond to them. Volunteers sang “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” a song authorities said was familiar to him. Officials cautioned during the search that loud or sudden approaches could make finding him more difficult, adding another challenge to an already complicated operation.
By Tuesday morning, horseback volunteers were moving through mountain trails before daylight. Riders described covering miles of rugged ground before Roman emerged from brush near a trail. A small dog was with him. Hughes said the dog appeared first and Roman came out behind it, noticing the horses as rescuers moved toward him.
One of the riders, Jacob Mullins, said the group had traveled more than 14 miles while searching. Roman was found about 1½ miles from his home, Mullins said. Searchers reported that the boy approached the horses while saying, “E-I-E-I-O horsey.” The riders gave him food and water, covered him to keep him warm and carried him out of the hills on horseback.
Rescuers said Roman had scratches and appeared dehydrated after spending two nights outdoors, but no serious physical injuries were immediately reported. Emergency medical personnel evaluated him after he was brought down from the mountain. Later reporting said he received hospital treatment for dehydration. Officials have not provided a detailed public account explaining where Roman stayed during the two nights or how he moved through the rugged area while he was missing.
The rescue ended a search that had drawn people and resources from across the region. Kentucky State Police thanked local, state and federal partners along with the hundreds of volunteers who took part. Community members also supplied food, water and other support to search crews working long hours in the hills.
Officials said Roman was in good spirits after being found, while authorities continued to praise the coordinated effort that brought the search to a safe conclusion. Kentucky State Police confirmed that he was found safe Nov. 3, nearly two days after his disappearance.
Author note: Last updated November 5, 2026.