Gwinnett County Police utilized its Aviation Unit to rescue a family lost in Harbins Park earlier this week.
Cpl. Deon Washington with Gwinnett Police said the family called 911 Wednesday after the mother and two children, ages 4 and 7, had been lost in the park for several hours.
"She didn't have any food, water or items to care for the children while she was lost inside the park," said Washington.
Gwinnett Police deployed the Aviation Unit at about 4 p.m., which began flying over the 1,900-acre park.
"During the search, the woman maintained contact with dispatchers and relayed when she could hear helicopters overhead," said Washington. "This coordination aided the pilot and ultimately pinpointed her exact location through the thick tree canopy."
Within 10 minutes of searching, the family was located. Immediately after, the woman's cell phone battery died, according to police.
"We're glad and fortunate this woman and her family were successfully located and nothing tragic happened," said Washington.
Washington encouraged citizens to preplan park outings by bringing adequate water and food, maps, fully-charged cell phones and first aid kits.
