3-year-old Ruby Heider was found safe just 20 hours after her disappearance thanks to the collective efforts of local agencies and campers.
After going missing for almost an entire day, a South Carolina 3-year-old has been found safe and reunited with her parents, according to local reports.
Around 7 p.m. on Friday, Ruby Heider went missing during a camping trip in Poinsett State Park with family and friends, according to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.
A collection of agencies — including the FBI, the Air Force, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Police Deptartment, DNR, and SLED — joined volunteers and campers in their overnight search for the young girl, according to Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis.
“We brought in our imaging systems, our aviation unit, our drones. We got the State Law Enforcement Division assistance with our aviation as well,” Dennis said to WIS news.
“Every camper in this campground came out,” Tracey Hagen, a camper, told the outlet.
“We came out with flashlights, we started calling her name. We checked in with every camper at the site knocking on doors, asking if they had seen her.”
Young Heider was found around 11 a.m the next morning, wandering along the treeline just a mile away from where she went missing, according to the department's second statement and local outlet WLTX.
Dennis told the outlet that Ruby’s parents "were extremely happy" to learn their daughter was found safe.
According to the outlet, Dennis says Ruby wandered off while looking for the bathroom.
Sheriff Dennis thanked the community for coming to help look, including those who offered their prayers, according to the department’s newer statement.
"He is thankful to acknowledge that those prayers were answered this morning,” the statement read.
