The Newspaper of Record since 1878
A three-year-old girl reported missing north of Globe last Thursday was found safe later that night after an hours-long search and rescue operation.
A 911 call at approximately 4:50 p.m. Thursday reported the girl missing 15 miles north of town, near the Griffin Ranch area. Her family was traveling on Highway 60. When they stopped their vehicle, the girl got out and they were unable to find her. According to a Friday press release by the Gila County Sheriff’s Office, she was reportedly missing for around 30 minutes before the 911 call.
Deputies responded to the scene, along with Forest Service Law Enforcement, and obtained a description from the family. Search and rescue operations started immediately, with the Gila County Sheriff’s Office Globe Search and Rescue, Tonto Rim Search and Rescue and Arizona Department of Public Safety air assets dispatched to the area. Friends and family also helped in the search.
Searchers found the girl at approximately 12:09 a.m. in a wash roughly .65 miles from the vehicle. According to the press release, she was estimated to have traveled around 1.5 miles.
“We are so grateful for this positive outcome,” said Gila County Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd. “When calls involve young children, it adds a layer of difficulty. Time is so important in search and rescue operations, and I couldn’t be prouder of these searchers.”
Shepherd thanked the deputies, Globe Search and Rescue, Tonto Rim Search and Rescue, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Forest Service Law Enforcement, and the friends and family who assisted in the search effort.
