A four-year-old Australian girl has been found after she was abducted 18 days earlier. When news of Cleo Smith’s disappearance was reported weeks ago, it got the attention of people all over the world. Cleo was camping with her parents in western Australia when they woke up to find her missing. Police initially searched the area for her, but soon determined that she had been kidnapped.
A team of more than 140 people worked on the case that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called “every parent’s worst nightmare.” A one-million Australian dollar (around $745-thousand U.S. dollar) reward was offered for information leading to the girl's return and thousands of tips poured in.
Cleo was found alone, locked in a house near her family’s home in Carnarvon, 60 miles from where she disappeared. Western Australian Police Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch says officials shed tears of relief and joy when the girl was found safe. An unidentified 36-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping. After her return, Cleo’s mother, Ellie Smith took to Instagram to say, “Our family is whole again.”
Source:Today
Photo: Getty Images