MONTICELLO, IA — A 10-year-old boy who was reported missing in Monticello was later found, according to police. The Monticello Police Department had asked the public to help locate Bodey Ellison after he was last seen near Carpenter School around 8 p.m.

Police later announced that Ellison had been located. No additional details were released immediately about where he was found or whether he was safe when officers confirmed the update.

Police asked for help after boy was last seen near Carpenter School

The search centered on a child last seen in the area of Carpenter School, a location that quickly became the focus of the missing-person alert. Police identified the boy as Bodey Ellison and said he was 10 years old.

By asking for the public’s help, the department signaled that officers wanted additional eyes on the ground while they worked to find him. The notice was brief, but it gave people a time frame and a specific area to watch for signs of the boy.

That kind of alert is often designed to move quickly, especially when a child is involved. In this case, police did not add any information about what Ellison was wearing, where he may have headed, or whether a vehicle was involved.

The location and timing helped narrow the search

Police said Ellison was last seen around 8 p.m. near Carpenter School. That detail gave the search a starting point and helped direct attention to a specific part of Monticello rather than a wider area.

Even a short window of time can matter in missing-person cases, particularly when officers are trying to retrace a child’s path. The 8 p.m. sighting was the key piece of information released at the start of the search.

Authorities did not say how long Ellison had been missing before the alert was issued. They also did not release any information about whether anyone else was with him when he was last seen.

Police later said Ellison had been located

After the initial request for help, the Monticello Police Department updated the public and said Ellison had been located. The department did not immediately provide a fuller explanation of how officers found him.

Officials also did not release details about the circumstances of his recovery. There was no immediate word on whether the case involved family members, neighbors, or other members of the public who may have helped police.

The quick shift from missing-person alert to recovery ended the immediate search. Police had not announced any ongoing concern for the child after confirming that he had been found.

No extra details were released about his condition or where he was found

After the boy was located, police said little more. They did not immediately say where Ellison had been found, how he got there, or whether officers needed to search beyond the Carpenter School area.

Authorities also did not release a statement about his condition beyond confirming that he had been located. That left several details unanswered, including whether he was returned to a parent or guardian right away.

In brief local alerts like this, police often focus first on the most important update: whether the missing child has been found. Here, that happened quickly, but the department did not expand on the circumstances.

What the brief case shows about fast local alerts

The Monticello case was short-lived, but it showed how quickly a local police department can use a public notice to gather help. A specific name, age, place, and time were enough to prompt attention from the community.

For families and residents, those alerts often serve two purposes at once. They give officers extra eyes while also reassuring the public once the missing person is found.

In this case, the outcome was the most important part of the update: Bodey Ellison was found after police asked for help locating him. No further information was released immediately, but the initial concern had been resolved.

Monticello officials closed the immediate search after the update

Once police said Ellison had been located, the urgent public call ended. The department did not indicate that anyone else was being sought or that there was any broader threat connected to the case.

Because the alert was focused on a missing child, the confirmation that he had been found was the key development. Police did not announce any next steps or offer follow-up details at the time of the update.

The city’s immediate concern was straightforward: find the boy and account for his whereabouts. With Ellison located, the emergency part of the response was no longer active.