6-year-old B.C. girl who was missing for 3 days found safe, RCMP say

The RCMP logo is pictured on a police cruiser. (File photo)

A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. last week has been found safe, police said Sunday evening.

The child, who was reported missing on Thursday, Sept. 19, was found "in a forested area previously searched between her residence and the band office," Burns Lake RCMP said in their update.

Searchers believe "she was likely moving around during the time she was missing," police said.

The girl, whose name and image have been removed from this article, went missing from the 6400 block of Skins Road in Southbank, near Burns Lake, around 6 p.m. Thursday.

In an initial appeal for information Friday, police said she was last seen outside her home. She was wearing a red-and-blue plaid dress, leggings with white bow ties and pink socks.

The girl is on the autism spectrum and is nonverbal, police said, adding that she will babble and make noises to communicate, and she likes to go into small spaces.

In an update Saturday, police said "significant resources from across the province" had been deployed to aid the search. The RCMP, search and rescue crews, the BC Wildfire Service, local volunteers and Canadian Rangers were all involved in the search, police said.

Helicopters, drones and police service dogs were also used in the search effort, according to Mounties.

“This is the outcome that we all hoped for," said Staff Sgt. Joshua Smith, commander of the Burns Lake RCMP detachment in the Sunday update.

"She was missing for multiple days, but everyone searching remained dedicated to bringing her home safely. We are thankful for the support of all our partner agencies and volunteers that worked day and night to achieve this outcome."