LAKE CITY, Fla. – A 12-year-old child with autism was safely rescued Wednesday night after being found on the roof of a PetSmart, according to the Lake City Fire Department.
At about 7:40 p.m., units were dispatched to the store in reference to a missing 12-year-old child, officials said.
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According to the Lake City Police Department, the mother of the child believed her daughter was looking at the cats available for adoption, but could not find her.
As officers responded, the mother began searching as well and was told by another customer that a young girl had been seen walking toward the back of the store.
As officers began searching the area, an officer spotted the girl on the building’s roof.
Police said when one officer climbed to the roof, the girl became frightened, ran to the opposite side of the building, and sat on the edge of the roof.
“Thanks to the keen observation of our patrol officers who spotted her on the roof, we were able to initiate a swift and coordinated response between Police, Fire, and EMS,” said Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler. “We are grateful to have access to specialty rescue equipment in Lake City, such as LCFD’s tower truck, which ultimately helped save this girl’s life.”
The Lake City Police Department requested help from the Lake City Fire Department.
Fire personnel, along with the child’s mother, tried to communicate with the child from the bucket of Tower 1. During the effort, the child moved away from the roof’s edge and went to the rear of the store, and tried to climb down using a gas pipe attached to the building, according to officials.
Crews then deployed a ground ladder and guided the child back onto the roof, where she was secured by a firefighter and reunited with her mother.
The child was then lowered safely to the ground in the bucket of Tower 1.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The child was released into her mother’s care, officials said.
Police said they are still investigating the circumstances of the incident, including how the child was able to leave the store unnoticed, how she gained access to the roof.