A mischievous Brooklyn child who was reported missing Thursday morning was found on his roof playing hooky — by a news chopper that was dispatched to cover the developing story.
The CBS 2 helicopter reached the scene of the Sheepshead Bay apartment complex shortly after police said the youngster vanished after leaving for school.
But when the boy’s parents realized he never reached the destination, they called 911 around 9:45 a.m., cops said.
An alert from cops noted the kid was wearing an orange tie, CBS 2 NY reported.
Aerial journalist Dan Rice was looking out from the CBS chopper when he said he saw a boy who “fit the description of the missing child” lounging in a chair on the roof of his building.
“We zoomed in with the camera … I looked down at my notes,” Rice reportedly recounted.
“I see what the assignment desk had sent me, and I see what the child was wearing. I look back at the child, and that child was wearing everything that’s in the description. He looked to be about 9 years old.”
CBS called the NYPD as the chopper waited for police officers to reach the roof.
“He just packs up his computer and his book bag and goes off with the police officers,” Rice said, per the station. “They look back at our helicopter gave us a big thumbs up and took child down to his parents.”
The boy was reunited with his mother, police said.
It’s unclear where the boy is enrolled and if he was scheduled to attend classes or a summer program.
A neighbor told CBS 2 he saw the child on the roof, but didn’t realize he was considered missing.
“I went up there with my wife to have a cup of coffee. It was about 8 o’clock. There’s a swinging bench up there, sort of. The kid was sitting on the bench playing on his iPad,” the neighbor said.
“I thought his parents gave him permission to go up there. I didn’t even think, ‘Why would the kid be up there?’ It’s a community place.”
Rice said this was the first time he’s had that type of experience on the job.
“To be able to find that child for the parents down in that building, it was a really gratifying experience,” he said.
