Missing Student Found After Three Hour Search

February 21, 2013

A middle school student was located by a K-9 team Wednesday in Walnut Hill, about three hours after she ran away from the school campus.

The sixth grade student was reported missing from Ernest Ward Middle School just after 3 p.m. She apparently fled the campus following a sixth period P.E. class.

Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies and Ernest Ward staff and faculty unsuccessfully searched the school campus and the surrounding area, including the nearby Bradberry Park and a wooded area between the school and the park.

K-9 teams from the Century Correctional Institution and the Escambia County Road Prison responded to assist in the search.  Just before 6 p.m., the Century CI K-9 team located the 12-year old girl where she had crossed through a wooded area east of the school behind the Walnut Hill Post Office, about 150 yards from the school campus.

The sixth grader was apparently unharmed; she was taken to a Pensacola hospital to be evaluated as a precaution.

Pictured top: Sgt. Burley Townson (left) and Ofc. Jamie Sanders (right) from the  Century Correctional Institution K-9 team search for a missing student near Ernest Ward Middle School Wednesday afternoon.  Pictured inset: The student was reported missing following a P.E. class at Ernest Ward Middle School. Pictured below: The girl was found through a wooded area about 150 yards from the campus. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

13 Responses to “Missing Student Found After Three Hour Search”

  1. friend on February 22nd, 2013 10:08 pm

    i am so happy my friend is found:)

  2. William on February 22nd, 2013 2:16 pm

    >>>Correct me if I’m wrong please but 6th period class should be around 1PM. And she wasn’t noticed missing until 3PM ???

    Seventh period begins at 2:56 p.m. at Ernest Ward.

  3. wondering on February 22nd, 2013 1:09 pm

    Correct me if I’m wrong please but 6th period class should be around 1PM. And she wasn’t noticed missing until 3PM ???

  4. Angi B. on February 22nd, 2013 7:17 am

    Thank god this child was found, and hopefully she is alright. Excellent job Burley, Jamie and the K-9’s…

  5. kelsey on February 21st, 2013 7:51 pm

    Good she was found

  6. puddin on February 21st, 2013 6:29 pm

    @LEO GUY
    I was thinking “Amber alert”. So glad she was found safe and sound. Hope they find out why she did this.

  7. LEO GUY on February 21st, 2013 11:33 am

    @pudding,

    Think about it, “so others could be searching for her too”, you might as well say, attention all pedophiles, there is a missing girl on the loose. Let the professionals do their job. Thank you for your concern. Just saying. :-/

  8. Scott Lassiter on February 21st, 2013 6:16 am

    Good job Burley and Jamie!!!

  9. T on February 21st, 2013 6:00 am

    Good job guys!! ” Team Century “

  10. puddin on February 21st, 2013 5:16 am

    Glad she was found safely. Wonder why no one put this out over either the two way on the busses or the AM/FM so others could be searching for her too?

  11. Jane on February 21st, 2013 4:55 am

    A lot of training and work goes into these K-9 units (everywhere) and they can be worth their weight in gold when they find missing persons! Good job K-9s!!!

  12. dan-o on February 21st, 2013 4:37 am

    Great job, Century K-9 team! Props go out to Sgt. Burley Townson & Ofc. Jamie Sanders, as well as the canines that sniffed her out.

  13. EWMS.parent on February 21st, 2013 2:02 am

    Thank you God for letting this child be unharmed and safe in the hands of the proper authorities, I hope they look real deep to find the reason this little girl did this, my son came home crying his eyes out over his friend missing I am so happy I can’t wait to tell him she was found and ok. Thank you so much to our community of law officers and everyone that helped in this search and for all you do everyday !