TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said deputies were able to find a five-year-old girl with autism Monday evening after she wandered into the woods.
HCSO sent a chopper to the 5000 block of Windbush Drive to find the missing girl. She had left home on foot and was in a wooded, swampy area.
Deputies used a thermal imaging camera on the chopper to find the girl walking through the wooded area. Deputies on the helicopter guided ground units to the girl, where she was rescued, uninjured.
"Their quick action saved the day, turning a potential tragedy into a hopeful reunion,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Their dedication shows what service and protection are all about here at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office."
