A family from Missouri almost lost their little girl, if not for the loyal pooch who never left her side.

Remy, a 3-year-old girl, was playing on the swings one evening. Her mother Timberlyn Merritt walked away for a quick minute but went back to an empty front yard. The swing set laid idle and Remy was nowhere to be found.

She immediately made a call to 911 and asked for help.

In the emotional call, her voice cracked as she said “We can’t find her anywhere.”

Also missing in the scene was their one-year-old Yorkie named Heath. The little dog has always been Remy’s constant companion. They played together and slept together. And that night, Timberlyn suspected that the two were lost together when Remy followed her dog into the cornfield.

While waiting for help to arrive, she raced into the field and called out Remy’s name.

Her heart sank deeper for every call that came unanswered. The longer Remy stayed out in the field, the higher the chance she’d be in danger.

Timberlyn shared that there are all sorts of wild animals lurking on the farms. Coyotes were the most common culprit. When her preliminary search didn’t yield any promising result, she began calling friends and family to help her in locating Remy.

More than 100 people joined the search.

They combed through the field of 8-foot-high stalks while they searched for her in pitch-black darkness. To make the situation even more difficult, identical views inside the field made it harder for anyone to orient themselves.

One of their friends narrated the experience. They were walking back and forth from one end of the cornfield to the other while yelling out Remy’s name.

They didn’t stop looking until their flashlights started dying out one by one.

But none of them gave up. The search continued through the next day and that’s where they heard barking. They followed the sound hoping it would lead them to Remy.

After a harrowing 12-hour search, they found her near a row of large grain silos half a mile away from their home.

Rescuers shared that they came across an amazing sight – little Remy was fast asleep, but she was not alone. Clutched close to her chest was Heath, her loyal dog that never left her side.

Timberlyn hugged Remy close and the little girl narrated how Heath protected and stayed with her throughout the twelve grueling hours of being alone.

It was Timberlyn’s brother Quinlin, who drove all the way from western Kentucky, that found Remy.

She shared that when they picked Remy up, she was exhausted, hot, and really sweaty. But even as the little girl was peppered with mosquito bites, she was largely unharmed, thanks to her loyal best friend.

The moment was shared by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on their Twitter account.

“This is what #Community looks like. Law enforcement, 1st Responders and community volunteers coming together to find a missing child. Her dog stayed by her side all night. #StrongerTogether” the tweet said as it showed photos of Remy and Heath.

It was an emotional night, but thanks to Heath, Remy was found safe and sound.

Watch how this little girl survived a 12-hour ordeal and the dog who protected her throughout the night.

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Source: YouTube – Inside Edition, Inside Edition, USA Today, KFVS 12, Twitter – @MSHPTrooperE