A Gary corporal and police dog are being hailed as heroes after locating a missing girl by tracking her scent.
Just before 5 a.m. Saturday, Gary police responded to a report of a missing teenage girl in the 4800 block of Carolina Street, according to a press release from the Gary Police Department.
Upon arrival, police learned the girl had left the residence in an unknown direction. Gary officers said they were also informed that she has autism and may not understand the danger she faced in Saturday morning’s cold weather conditions.
After an unsuccessful search, off-duty Gary Corporal Brown and K-9 Boba were requested to the scene.
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Gary police said Brown obtained a scent sample for the missing teen and presented it to Boba with a command to search.
Boba was able to locate the girl, who was without a coat or shoes, on the ground in the 600 block of East 48th Avenue, according to officials.
The girl was taken to an area hospital for treatment, police said.
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Gary police Lieutenant Dawn Westerfield said without the actions of Corporal Brown and Boba, the outcome may have been “tragically different.”
