The Eyrie

KISSIMMEE, FL — A handwritten note that read “HELP US” helped Kissimmee police find children hiding inside a home during a domestic disturbance on Oct. 26, according to the department.

Officers responded after family members said children were inside the residence and feared for their safety. Police used a drone to search the home and were able to locate the children hiding in a room.

During that search, one child held the note up against a window, giving officers a clear signal from inside the house. Police said the children were then able to leave safely while the suspect was distracted.

Family members warned officers the children were inside and in danger

Kissimmee Police Department officials said the response began as a domestic disturbance involving Andre Janard Smithson. Family members told officers that children were in the home and expressed concern for their safety.

That warning changed the way officers approached the scene. Instead of relying only on a standard search, police deployed a drone to look inside the residence and try to find where the children were being kept.

Police said the drone search quickly led them to the room where the children were hiding. The note seen at the window then confirmed to officers that the children were aware of the danger and were trying to get help.

Drone search helped officers find the children without entering blind

Using a drone gave officers a way to inspect the home before moving in more directly. Police said the device allowed them to locate the children while reducing the risk that they would be caught off guard inside the residence.

The department has not said how many children were inside, but officials said they were found hiding in a room. The discovery came during the domestic disturbance response, which police described as involving Smithson.

Once officers knew where the children were, the focus shifted to getting them out safely. Police said the children left the residence while Smithson was distracted, which helped avoid a more dangerous confrontation.

Police say the children exited safely while Smithson was distracted

According to Kissimmee police, the children were able to come out of the home safely after the discovery. The department said Smithson was distracted at the time, allowing officers to move the children out without incident.

Police did not describe exactly how the children were escorted from the residence, but they emphasized that the outcome was safe. The handwritten message remained the clearest sign from inside the home that the children were trying to communicate with officers.

The case highlights how a brief note, visible through a window, can become a critical signal in a tense situation. In this instance, it helped confirm the children’s location and supported the effort to remove them from harm.

Smithson surrendered peacefully and faces false imprisonment charges

After the children were out of the home, Smithson eventually surrendered peacefully, police said. Kissimmee police later said he is facing charges of false imprisonment.

Authorities also said Smithson has an outstanding active warrant. Police did not provide additional details about the warrant in the information released about the case.

The department has not said whether the domestic disturbance led to any injuries. For now, the case centers on the children’s safe removal and the charges filed after the response.

Domestic disturbance response turned on a child’s handwritten plea

Police credited the note with helping guide the response and confirm that the children were inside the home. The message, written by hand and held against the glass, became a key part of the rescue effort.

Kissimmee officers said the situation unfolded on Oct. 26, but they did not release additional details about what led up to the disturbance. What they did emphasize was the sequence that followed: the drone search, the note at the window, the safe exit, and the peaceful surrender.

For investigators, the case now continues around the charges against Smithson and the active warrant noted by police. For the children, officers said the outcome was that they were removed from the home safely.