The Eyrie

KISSIMMEE, FL — A handwritten note reading “HELP US” helped Kissimmee police locate children hiding inside a central Florida home during a domestic incident at the end of October, according to investigators. Officers said the note was pressed against a window by one of the children while they were sheltering inside the residence.

Police said the children were later able to get out safely while the suspect was distracted. The encounter ended with help from specialized officers, and investigators said the man involved surrendered without further confrontation.

Police said family members warned officers children were inside the home

The Kissimmee Police Department said officers responded to a domestic disturbance involving Andre Janard Smithson. The home is located just south of Orlando, and police said the call involved concerns about children who were still inside.

Family members had contacted officers before the rescue and told them the children were in the residence and that they were worried about their safety. That warning shaped the response and pushed officers to treat the scene as a high-risk situation.

Police have not described what led to the disturbance, but the report of children inside made the incident more urgent. Officers then moved to establish contact and check the condition of everyone in the house.

Drone footage helped officers find the children hiding in a room

According to police, officers used a drone to look inside the home and locate the children. The aerial view led them to a room where the children were hiding out of sight.

Investigators said one child held the handwritten plea up to the window, making the message visible to officers outside. The note became the clearest sign that the children needed help and that they were trying to alert police from inside the house.

Police described the note as a brave act by the child who displayed it. The discovery allowed officers to focus on a rescue plan instead of simply negotiating from the perimeter.

Children escaped safely while Smithson was distracted, police say

Police said the children managed to leave the home safely while Smithson was distracted. That escape marked the turning point in the incident and allowed officers to secure the scene without immediate harm to the children.

After the children got out, authorities brought in the Special Weapons and Tactics Team and the Crisis Negotiation Team. Police said those units helped manage the final stages of the response and keep the situation from escalating.

By the time the standoff ended, investigators said Smithson surrendered peacefully. Police did not say what specific actions or conversations led to that outcome, only that the surrender happened without a violent arrest.

Smithson was arrested on false imprisonment and a warrant

Investigators said Smithson was arrested on a charge of false imprisonment, along with an outstanding warrant. Police did not immediately provide additional details about the warrant or whether other charges could follow.

False imprisonment generally refers to unlawfully holding or confining someone against their will, and police tied that allegation to the domestic incident at the home. Authorities did not say how long the children were inside before officers arrived or whether anyone was physically injured.

The case remained centered on the safety of the children and the quick response that followed the warning from family members. Police credited the combined work of patrol officers, the drone team, SWAT and crisis negotiators in bringing the incident to a close.

Kissimmee police highlight the role of the child’s written plea

The handwritten message became the most striking part of the police account because it showed a child trying to ask for help from inside the house. Police posted about the rescue on Facebook, drawing attention to the note and the officers who found it.

In the department’s telling, the combination of family warnings, drone surveillance and specialized response units helped turn a frightening call into a safe resolution. The children’s escape and the suspect’s peaceful surrender meant the situation ended without a reported physical showdown.

For police, the incident underscored how quickly domestic calls can become dangerous and how a child’s cry for help can change the course of an emergency response. The case continued to move through the criminal process after the arrest.