A six-year-old girl who was missing for three nights in northern B.C. has been found safe, RCMP say.
The child was reported missing at 6 p.m. on September 19 in the community of Southbank, BC about 25 kilometers south of Burns Lake and 200 kilometers west of Prince George.
In a statement, RCMP said the girl was found shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday in a wooded area near her home and Skin Tyee First Nation band office, which had been searched by officials earlier, leading searchers to believe she may have been moving around while she was missing.
“This is the outcome we were all hoping for, he was missing for a number of days, but everyone who searched remained dedicated to bringing him home safely,” said Burns Lake RCMP Staff Sergeant Joshua Smith.
“We are grateful for the support of all partner agencies and volunteers who worked day and night to achieve this result.”
News that he had been found was first posted via a live video feed on Facebook.
Subsequent video footage showed dozens of volunteers and search workers cheering as the child was reunited with his mother and carried to an ambulance.
Volunteers from across the province have joined the search, which has also involved helicopters and drones from police and rescue services, culminating in what police say is one of the largest search operations ever recorded in northern B.C.