A TV news helicopter crew discovered a 9-year-old boy who had been reported missing in New York City playing hooky on the roof of his Brooklyn building. The boy had left his apartment in the morning but did not show up at school as expected. Concerned, his parents contacted the police and provided a description of the child, mentioning the distinctive orange tie he was wearing.

Reporters from CBS News New York dispatched a helicopter to search for the missing boy. Journalist Dan Rice, aboard the helicopter with pilot Eric Ross, spotted the child on the rooftop of his family’s building. They observed the boy sitting in a chair and confirmed he matched the description provided by the authorities.

The station employees alerted the police who rushed to the scene. The helicopter crew continued to monitor the situation from above until law enforcement officers reached the building. The boy voluntarily accompanied the officers back down, carrying his computer and book bag. An observer in the neighborhood mentioned seeing the child playing with his iPad on the roof but had not realized the situation.

The first day of school for many public school students in New York City is on September 5, but the Success Academy charter school chain, which has distinctive orange ties as part of their uniform, started their classes on August 12.