ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. (WNCN) — Halifax County EMS employees were recognized on Wednesday by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office for finding a 10-year-old autistic girl.
On Oct. 3, Lieutenant Matt Brown’s squad responded to the area of Buck Drive in Roanoke Rapids regarding a missing autistic 10-year-old girl that ran away from home, the sheriff’s office said.
Brown had previously dealt with the child and knew she did not like police cars and would hide when she saw one.
However, Brown knew she liked ambulances and EMS workers Pattie Nelson and Kim Milan were called to assist.
After two hours of searching, tracking with a K-9 and emergency management flying a drone, the sheriff’s office said they were not successful in finding the missing girl.
Nelson and Milan began talking with people in the area and were able to pinpoint the last known location of the girl.
After arriving in the area, Nelson and Milan saw the little girl running down a wood line near an open field. The sheriff’s office said they knew the girl liked ambulances and they turned on the lights to get her attention.
The little girl was able to flag EMS down. Once they got the juvenile inside the ambulance, the sheriff’s office said she was covered in mud, muck, and horse feces.
The sheriff’s office said Brown “firmly believes if EMS was not out there helping them that night we may still be looking for this little girl.”
On Wednesday, Brown presented Nelson and Milan with commendations on behalf of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.
