10-Year-Old Girl Found Safe After Wandering From Home

BIRMINGHAM, AL - A 10-year-old girl was found safe after wandering from her north Jefferson County home early this morning.

At 2 a.m. Wednesday morning, Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies were called to a residence in the 4200 block of Northgate Trail to aid in the search for a missing child. It was reported that the child and her dog had left the home between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.. After searching the neighborhood unsuccessfully, her parents called the Sheriff’s Office.

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Sheriff’s K9 personnel responded to the scene to attempt to track the child, and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office also responded with a drone equipped with forward-looking infrared cameras to conduct an aerial search.

While the search was being conducted, 911 operators received a call from a convenience store clerk at 6710 Alabama Highway 79, reporting that a young girl had been found sleeping behind the ice machine outside the store. Deputies went to the store and identified the child as the one who had been reported missing. The child was unharmed. She and her dog were safely reunited with their family.

Photo from Jefferson County Sheriff's Office

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