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A missing girl in Florida was saved thanks in large part to the assistance of a police dog. The 11-year-old was discovered locked in a restroom at a park.
Last Friday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a request for assistance in relation to a missing person case. According to Daily Mail, Deputy Sarah Ernstes and the police dog Mary Lu were called in to assist with the search for the “missing and endangered” girl.
Bodycam footage captured the moment when Mary Lu led Deputy Ernstes to a public bathroom at a park in the 16000 block of Carlton Lake Drive. The police dog, with her keen sense of smell, indicated that the girl was inside by exhibiting her โhappy tailโ movement, a behaviour she displays when close to a person.
The girl was reassured by Deputy Ernstes and another officer that it was okay to leave the locked bathroom. “There’s just me, my dog, another deputy, and a female deputy. The deputy assured her, “You’re not in trouble; we just need to talk to you.
The young girl emerged unscathed after they were able to convince her to unlock the door.
Deputy Ernstes then inquired as to the girl’s dog-loving preferences and suggested that she be rewarded with a reassuring kiss from Mary Lu. The policeman assured him that she would not harm him. The moment was heartwarming as the little girl reluctantly embraced the hero-dog.
๐ฆฎ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฆฎ
On Friday, January 26, 2024, at 7:57 p.m., Deputy Sarah Ernstes and K9 Mary Lu responded to the 16000 block of Carlton Lake Drive to assist in the search for a missing and endangered 11-year-old girl.
They quicklyโฆ pic.twitter.com/CFzmZeEM5N
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) January 28, 2024
“Our team has once again proven its invaluable role in our community,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister, expressing his pride in the HCSO K9 Unit. With remarkable abilities, they found and returned home an 11-year-old girl who had gone missing, safely reuniting her with her family. I am incredibly proud of our team’s dedication to protecting and serving, as well as their commitment to service.โ
Mary Lu had started tracking, and the deputies followed her trail to a neighbor’s home. The 11-year-old was driven to an apartment building by the residents. The girl may not have left her house voluntarily, and it’s still unclear why the neighbors offered to drive her.
No one has been charged so far in connection to her disappearance.
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