Missing Toddler Found Safely Sleeping in Forest With Family Pets

A missing toddler was found safe sleeping in a forest in Michigan with her two dogs after a massive search. 

According to WJMN Local 3, 2-year-old Thea Chase wandered away from her small town home in Faithorn, Michigan, Wednesday. 

Her mother, Brook Chase, described searching for little Thea and noticing the dogs were gone, too. 

She said, “It’s completely wooded, deep thick woods around here.” She was also concerned about a nearby swamp.

Chase said after about 15 minutes of searching, she called the police. 

Local police and dozens of volunteers from both Michigan and Wisconsin worked for hours to find the missing girl, per CNN.

Troopers from Michigan State Police’s Iron Mountain post were called in around 8 p.m. Wednesday and coordinated with search-and-rescue teams to utilize drones and police dogs to search the heavy terrain. 

Then, around midnight, a family friend spotted the Chase family’s rottweiler, Buddy, who began barking. 

Thea was discovered about three miles away from her home, sleeping on the family’s other dog, an English Spring named Harley. She walked those three miles barefoot.

When the discoverer attempted to approach the girl, Harley growled at him. 

Lt. Mark Giannunzio stated, “When we get a call like that, everything else stops.”

“She laid down and used one of the dogs as a pillow, and the other dog laid right next to her and kept her safe,” he said. “It’s a really remarkable story.”

Giannunzio said Thea was examined for injuries and determined to be healthy. 

Thea’s mother stated, “She has those dogs wrapped around her finger.”

She also noted that the hours during the search left her in “a fog,” but that lifted when Thea came home giggling and said, “Hi, Mommy.”

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