The Eyrie

KISSIMMEE, FL — Children inside a Kissimmee home escaped safely after one of them pressed a handwritten “HELP US” sign to a window during a domestic disturbance, according to police. Officers responded after family members reported the incident and said children inside the residence may have been in danger.

Kissimmee police said the children were hiding inside a room when officers arrived on Oct. 26. A drone was then used to help locate them. Police said the children were able to get out of the home while the man involved was distracted.

Drone search led officers to children inside the home

Police said the handwritten note was a critical clue that helped officers understand the urgency of the situation. The message appeared at a window as officers worked to figure out where the children were and whether they were safe.

Using a drone, officers were able to pinpoint the children’s location inside the residence. That allowed police to focus on getting them out without escalating the situation, according to the department.

Authorities did not say how many children were inside the home or describe the room where they were hiding. They also did not give further details about what led up to the disturbance.

Children got out while suspect was distracted

Police said the children left the home while the man at the center of the incident was distracted. The department identified him as Andre Janard Smithson.

Officers then continued working to resolve the situation safely. Smithson later surrendered peacefully, with help from the department’s SWAT team and Crisis Negotiation Team.

The sequence suggests officers were trying to balance speed with caution as they brought the incident to an end. Police have not said what specifically distracted Smithson or how long the children had been inside before they were found.

Smithson arrested on false imprisonment charge and warrant

Smithson was arrested on a false imprisonment charge and an outstanding warrant, police said. The department did not provide details about the warrant.

False imprisonment typically refers to unlawfully restraining or confining another person. In this case, police have not publicly described the full set of allegations tied to the arrest or said whether additional charges are possible.

Authorities also did not release more information about the family members who reported the disturbance. The department’s account focused on the response and the safe outcome for the children.

SWAT and crisis negotiators helped end the standoff peacefully

The Kissimmee Police Department said its SWAT team and Crisis Negotiation Team assisted after officers reached the home. Their involvement came after the children had already been found and helped out of the residence.

Those specialized teams are often used when officers want to reduce risk during a tense or unpredictable encounter. In this case, police said their help contributed to a peaceful surrender.

The department did not say whether any weapons were involved or whether anyone was physically hurt. The available details suggest officers treated the situation as a serious domestic disturbance with children potentially in danger.

Police left several details unanswered after the October 26 call

Kissimmee police have not said what prompted the disturbance or how the situation developed before officers arrived. They also have not explained the relationship between Smithson and the children, or whether the family was already known to officers.

The department’s public statement gave only a limited account of the warrant and did not describe the circumstances behind it. It also did not say whether the children remained with relatives or what support services, if any, were involved after the rescue.

Even with those unanswered questions, the outcome was clear: officers found the children, got them out safely and took Smithson into custody without violence.