Authorities reported on Wednesday that a 4-year-old girl who went missing from an Australian outback camping more than two weeks ago has been safely reunited with her parents after being rescued by police from a closed house.
Early Wednesday morning, police broke into a house in Carnarvon, a town about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the campsite, and discovered Cleo Smith in one of the rooms.
“‘What’s your name?’ one of the officers said as he scooped her up into his arms. ‘My name is Cleo,’ she stated on local television, Western Australia Police Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch remarked. According to him, a man is arrested in connection with the disappearance.
Cleo was last seen in her family’s tent at the remote Blowholes Shacks campsite in Macleod, around 900 kilometers (560 miles) north of Perth, Western Australia’s capital, at about 1.30 a.m. local time (1730 GMT) on Oct. 16. She was gone when her parents awoke the next morning.
Police in Australia suspected the child had been kidnapped. They then announced a reward of A$1 million ($743,000) for any information leading to her location.
“What a great day. We now have returned Cleo to her loving parents. It’s a wonderful day for this little girl and her loving family,” WA Commissioner Chris Dawson said in a separate televised press appearance.
The case has a team of 140 individuals working on it, with police receiving over 1,000 tips from the public.
The kidnapping looks to have been opportunistic, according to police, who hope to bring charges later today.
Our prayers answered: Cleo, 4 year old girl reunited with parents
“She is physically OK. That was evident from the start,” said state police homicide squad Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine, who was one of four people to rescue the child.
“Taking her to the hospital we got assurance of that from people that know what they are doing.”
He said finding her was “without a doubt” the best moment of his career.
“She is a very sweet, energetic girl, very trusting and very open with us,” he said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also welcomed the “wonderful, relieving news”.
“Cleo Smith has been found and is home safe and sound. Our prayers answered,” Morrison also said on Twitter.
