PIERCE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A neighbor who found a missing 4-year-old boy and safely returned him home received one of the Pierce Township Police Department’s Golden Tickets in recognition of her actions.
Pierce Township police officers responded Sept. 5 to a report of a missing 4-year-old child, according to the department. As officers and the boy’s family searched the area, several neighbors joined in.
Mary Church, a neighbor, found the boy walking nearby and brought him home safely, the department said. The child was found unharmed.
Officer Jesse Edwards presented Church with a Golden Ticket for her willingness to help a neighbor in need, the department said in a Facebook post.
The Golden Ticket program recognizes Pierce Township residents who are “caught doing good things” in the community, according to the department. Officers who witness or learn of a good deed present the person with a ticket and a Walmart gift card. Walmart and Cincinnati Print Solutions support the program.
The department also thanked the other neighbors who joined the search, saying their willingness to stop what they were doing and help “is a great example of neighbors looking out for one another.”
Pierce Township police is led by Chief Paul Broxterman, who was appointed to the position in February 2022 after 33 years with the Cincinnati Police Department, according to the township.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Pierce Township Police Department.