The unthinkable happened to one family in Ponce De Leon, Florida, when little Marshal, a three-year-old boy with autism, went missing near the family’s home.

It was a nightmare that they never imagined will happen to them, and it was certainly a moment that will haunt them forever.

Apart from the fact that the boy does not speak, little Marshal was also last seen wearing only a diaper. The only comfort that the family had was that he went missing together with two of the family’s loyal dogs, Nala and Buckwheat.

Kayla Stewart, Marshal’s aunt, was worried about her nephew.

“We were panicked,” she told WJHG/WECP.

She was thinking about all sorts of worst-case scenarios. They were running through their heads and were very anxious about the situation unfolding right before their eyes.

It was bound to be a difficult search operation.

It was an hour after the boy got lost that the family was able to call the police. The local force as well as concerned neighbors did not waste any time and started a wide search for the missing boy. Knowing that the boy can’t speak and with autism only made the search even more challenging, but people in town were not going to give up on finding little Marshal.

Corey Dobridnia, the Public Information Officer at the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, told Bored Panda:

“Our expectations going into a search of that magnitude are always to get as many agency members on the ground as possible to aid in the search. Minutes are precious when it comes to the search of a child.”

Finally, good news.

Later that day, one of their neighbors found the toddler a mile away from his home. Carol Shelton saw him, wearing only his diapers and filled with dirt from his walk in the woods. Beside him were his loyal friends, Nala and Buckwheat.

“[His] dogs were right there with him,” Carol recalled. “[We’re] thankful that the pups kind of guided him along, I guess they kept him safe.”

It was a moment of utter relief and happiness when Marshal’s family heard about the good news that afternoon. Dobridnia, on the other hand, shared how grateful the Sheriff’s Office was upon learning that a family friend found the child, stating that one of their captains successfully brought the child back to his mother.

The boy was unharmed, though he was dirty when the officers came to get him.

“Marshal was in good spirits when found. A little dirty from the walk through the woods, but unharmed and happy,” the Public Information Officer added.

He also mentioned that his dogs were to commend for being loyal and caring for the autistic child.

“Dogs are loyal creatures. I feel like they probably knew to stay with him when they saw he was alone. Their instincts kicked in. They stayed with the boy and watched over him until he was located.”

Marshal got home safely to his family, who were ecstatic to see the little guy again. They are proud to have raised two faithful doggos who were quick to act for their little boy in that time of need.

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Source: Bored Panda, Walton County Sheriff, Michael A. Adkinson Jr.