BOONE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – An 11-year-old girl reported missing Monday evening in Boone County was found safe after an extensive search involving first responders and community volunteers.
According to Boone County Sheriff Chad Barker, deputies were dispatched at approximately 7 p.m. to the Lick Creek area of Danville after receiving a report of a missing juvenile. The girl was last seen near the Little Coal River.
Barker said the child was located safe about an hour and a half later, nearly four miles downstream from where she was last seen.
The sheriff said he later spoke with the girl’s family, who asked him to thank the community and first responders for helping bring their daughter home safely.
“The immediate response from our county’s emergency management agency, police, fire, EMS and other agencies from across Southern West Virginia was nothing short of amazing!” Barker said.
“Beyond that the response from our community was really special. Within 30 minutes we had families driving, walking and kayaking the river just trying to help. Ultimately it was a young man and his girlfriend volunteering that were able to locate the child.”
Barker also praised the community’s response to the incident.
“This is home and we may have our faults, but when someone is in need our community shows up big!” he said.
