Troopers Arrest One, Safely Locate Child After EMA Issued

July 14, 2025 (Lincoln, Neb.)  — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol were able to safely locate and recover a missing juvenile Sunday near Lincoln.

The South Sioux City Police Department had requested an Endangered Missing Advisory to be issued for Nicco Hoffman, a five-year-old boy. Nicco had not been seen for several hours, and his family thought it was possible that he was traveling in a vehicle with his adult sister. NSP issued the Endangered Missing Advisory at 5:15 p.m. Sunday.

Approximately 20 minutes later, NSP received information that the vehicle had been spotted as it was traveling west on Interstate 80 between Omaha and Lincoln. Troopers responded to the area.

At 5:50 p.m., troopers were able to locate the vehicle believed to be involved in the situation. The vehicle was traveling westbound on Interstate 80. The troopers performed a traffic stop at mile marker 403 and recovered Nicco without incident. He was safely reunited with family Sunday evening.

The driver, Lilyanna Romero-Hoffman, 20, of Sioux City, Iowa was arrested for violation of a custody order and theft by receiving stolen property $5,000+. She was lodged in Lancaster County Jail.

The Endangered Missing Advisory system was created by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Nebraska AMBER Alert Committee to assist in missing child cases that do not meet criteria to issue an AMBER Alert, or for cases of a missing vulnerable adult. AMBER Alert criteria can be viewed here: AMBER Alert Criteria.

Unlike an AMBER Alert, an EMA cannot be delivered automatically to all cell phones statewide. Alerts are shared with the public via social media, local media outlets, and via text or email for people who have subscribed to receive them. Anyone can sign-up to receive EMA alerts directly from NSP here: EMA Subscription.