Every grandparent’s worst nightmare is the experience of having their grandchild gone missing. This is a big world for a child, host to many nooks and crannies to get lost in if you’ve never left home. I can imagine the pain and anxiety of this family, sitting on pins and needles awaiting the safe arrival of their precious baby girl. Little do they know she’s got a furry guardian angel!
The toddler, 2-year-old Charlee Campbell was thought to be safely sound asleep at her grandparent’s house in a small town in Kentucky, USA. But when her grandmother woke up to see the front door wide open, and the toddler missing along with the family pit bull, Penny, panic hit her like a ton of bricks. Charlee has non-verbal autism, so she doesn’t speak very much and is often closely guarded. Upon the discovery of her mysterious disappearance, the whole town was alerted to keep an eye out for a blonde toddler wearing Disney’s “Frozen” pajamas.
Everyone from authorities, search crews even bloodhounds and volunteers were brought in to help scour high and low, town and forest for the missing girl. Search crews say the terrain is dangerous, rocky and full of snakes.
A neighbor, Wayne Brown, was at home praying for the safe recovery of Charlee. At this point, the girl had been missing for 36 hours. Her disappearance had become the hot topic of the town, and while everyone was looking for her, he was sitting on his couch praying. Wayne had been through a similar experience before with his own brother who had wandered into the woods when he was a child, so he knew the pain all too well.
It’s as if his prayers were heard and answered because Charlee appeared on Wayne’s porch the same time Penny was found back at the house. Both the missing dog and child had returned after being lost for over 30 hours! Charlee was dirty, dehydrated and had some tick bites but appeared to be alive and well.
Charlee’s grandmother, Beth Campbell, believes it was Penny who kept Charlee safe. “When my dog didn’t come home, and my baby wasn’t home, she was not going to leave that baby until she got here.” She continued by saying, “I can’t even explain how happy I am that this baby is home because I love her more than anything in this world.”
What a miracle with a very happy ending! Click below to watch Charlee’s mom give the press a statement.
