Crime & Safety
Missing Autistic Girl Rescued From Swampy Wooded Area In Tampa: Watch
A 5-year-old autistic girl was rescued from a wooded area with wetlands Monday afternoon, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.
TAMPA, FL — A missing 5-year-old autistic girl was rescued Monday afternoon from a swampy wooded area in Tampa, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office news release.
The agency’s aviation unit was called to help deputies looking for the girl, who had wandered away from her home in the 5000 block of Windbrush Drive around 5 p.m.
Using a thermal imaging camera, the aviation unit found the girl walking through a heavily wooded area with wetlands, the sheriff’s office said.
Find out what's happening in Tampafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In footage, the child is seen approaching a body of water. Recognizing the pending danger, the aviation unit worked quickly, guiding deputies on the ground to her location, where she was found safe and without injury in less than an hour.
Body-worn camera footage also shows the moment deputies found the girl and carried her out of the woods.
Find out what's happening in Tampafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Watch the girl’s rescue below:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
