Sheriff’s deputies in Florida have located a 5-year-old girl with autism who had been reported missing from a home near Tampa last week.
On Monday, Feb. 26, the child was found, unharmed, by officers of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). The girl turned up in densely wooded wetland near the 5000 block of Windbrush Drive.
“Hey, I think I got her in the woods,” a deputy in the helicopter is heard informing the search team through the radio. “She might be able to hear her name if you call her. She’s going to be about 80 feet in front of you.
“Yep, just keep walking in that direction.”
The pair of officers are seen closing in on the girl.
In the trees, footage captured by one of the deputies’ body cameras displays the moment when she is finally sighted by the men.
“Oh, there she is there,” one of them is heard saying, pointing past some trees in the direction of the swamp.
“Come here sweetheart,” another calls out to her.
Mired up past her ankles in the bog, the girl calls back to the men and walks in their direction.
A deputy picks her up out of the water.
He is seen carrying her safely back to dry land and sitting her down on the tailgate of an HCSO truck.
“You were walking quite a bit, sweetheart,” he is heard saying.
According to HCSO, the autistic 5-year-old wandered off from home by herself while her parents were present. Charges will not be pressed against the parents, HCSO stated in a press release.
Commendations were issued by Sheriff Chad Chronister, who lauded the deputies for their conduct.
“Their quick action saved the day, turning a potential tragedy into a hopeful reunion,” the sheriff stated. “Their dedication shows what service and protection are all about here at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.”
