Biloxi family reunited with beloved spider monkey after search including dogs, thermal cameras

It took a team of volunteers, including hunting dogs, but a pet spider monkey belonging to a Biloxi, Miss., family was brought home.

Cameron and Kaitlynn Cuevas adopted the spider monkey, which they named “Kenzie,” about two years ago, according to WLOX in Biloxi. The couple says Kenzie is like a child to them.

“She’s with us every single day,” said Cameron Cuevas told the outlet. “Just like a baby. All she knows is us, our family and our three kids. She’s one of our kids.” The Cuevas’ have three children — other than Kenzie, of course.

Sunday, however, they left the monkey with Cameron Cuevas’ mother and the monkey escaped, fleeing into a nearby wooded area.

“My body went cold,” Kaitlynn Cuevas said of learning Kenzie had gone missing.

The Cuevas’ took to social media, asking for help, resulting in an extensive search by family, friends, even complete strangers wanting to help.

Among those was Ben Ward, a local hunter who uses dogs to track wounded deer and missing animals. He and his dogs joined the search.

About 2 a.m. Monday, however, the search was suspended, but at daybreak, Ward and his dogs returned to the area. Although the report didn’t include the exact time, about 24 hours after the spider monkey went missing, Ward reported her found and returned to the Cuevas family.

The Cuevas’ said they were grateful for all the assistance and said they were determined to ensure Kenzie stays home from now on.

“She ain’t going nowhere no more,” Cameron Cuevas told WLOX. “If she can’t go, we ain’t going.”

The Cuevas’ posted Tuesday to their Facebook page that Kenzie “had a good bath, blow dry & is taking a good nap.” They planned to take her to a local veterinarian for a check up.