GREENVILLE – A three-year-old child was located safely after nearly an hour-long search and rescue Saturday afternoon just outside of Greenville.

At approximately 12:50 p.m., emergency personnel from Greenville Township Fire and Rescue as well as officers from the Greenville Police Department, deputies from the Darke County Sheriff’s Department and many more responded to the 6400 block of Daly Road in regards to a missing child.

According to the Darke County Sheriff’s Department, the child had been left in the care of a family member at their residence at the time he had gone missing. The family member contacted the Child’s mother, who in turn contacted law enforcement, to report her child missing when it was discovered he was no longer inside the residence.

Deputies began a search of the residence and the surrounding property with the assistance of the Greenville Police Department.

A deputy from the Darke County Sheriff’s Department discovered the missing child in an area near the Greenville Creek. Due to high water, gaining access to the child was difficult. Assistance by Greenville Fire Department’s Region 3 Strike Team, Bradford Fire Department, and Butler County Sheriff’s Office Aviation was made but later cancelled. A deputy from the Darke County Sheriff’s office as well as an officer from the Greenville Police Department were able to safely recover the child and remove him from harm’s way. The child was examined by Greenville Township Rescue and found to be in good health and returned to his mother.

Rescue personnel on the scene reported the search was centered around a wooded area behind the property that eventually led to the Greenville Creek.

Concern for the child’s safety was escalated by chilling temperatures and the recent high amount of rainfall causing a dangerous increase in the creek’s depth and currents. Rescuers could be seen and heard giving sighs of relief after the child was located safely in an area off of State Route 502 near the water plant.

“This is the best possible outcome we could have hoped for,” stated Joe Van Vickle, incident commander in the search. “This could have turned out so much worse but everybody came together and worked hard to bring this child home”.

The incident will continue to be investigated by the Darke County Sheriff’s Department.