It was a joyous moment for the officers, search party volunteers and especially the family of 4-year-old Evelyn “Vadie” Sides when she was found two days after being reported missing.
The Alabama youngster had gone for a walk with her pet dog Lucy and nanny in woodland but had become separated.
Hundreds of volunteers had joined police officers, drones, helicopters and sniffer dogs in the search and were eventually alerted to her dog barking.
“The dog was with her protecting her the whole time’’, Andrew Peacock, a spokesperson for Lee County Sheriff’s Office said as per Independent.
Police posted an appeal after Evelyn was reported missing on March 25 saying sheriff deputies, K9 units and volunteer Fire & Rescue personnel were out looking for her.
“She may be accompanied by a hound dog, reddish in color with a collar. An ALEA state helicopter is also in the area for search operations,” the post read.
Her trusted hound returned home after alerting officers to the spot where Evelyn was.
Her family posted a video to Facebook in which Evelyn describes the incident as if it’s no big deal: “We took a walk but then I got too fast and got running and got lost and then I started calling for nanny but nanny was too far.”
Vadie added: “I slept by a road, the first night, and … and the second night I slept where they found me.”
Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones told AL.com they found Vadie “a little bit dehydrated but not that much worse for the wear.”
Gatorade, water, banana and snacks helped her out.
“The best part of this whole thing was getting to see this child reunited with her parents,” Sheriff Jones told The New York Times. “Ecstatic may not be a good enough word. It was extremely emotional.”
Evelyn’s mom Amanda says: “To all the volunteers who went out in the middle of the global pandemic to walk around the forest, sometimes during the early morning hours, God bless you,” according to USA Today .
Thank goodness Evelyn was found safe, thanks to the hundreds of people out looking for her and her trusted four-legged friend.
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