Missing 3-year-old found in cornfield, dog at her side

ULIN, Mo. — A 3-year-old girl is safe after spending the night in a rural Missouri cornfield, her faithful dog by her side.

In fact, the tiny Yorkshire terrier played a role in her rescue.

The ordeal began around 8:30 p.m. Thursday with a 911 call that the girl had wandered away from her home near the town of Qulin, 175 miles south of St. Louis.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott says a search began that included an airplane, but the girl was not found overnight.

Volunteers joined police to search a cornfield Friday morning. Just after 8 a.m., search dogs began barking — and a tiny dog voice started yapping in response.

Searchers found the girl with her dog. The child had several mosquito bites but was otherwise unharmed.