According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the young girl was reported missing around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, prompting officials to launch a massive search-and-rescue operation that included more than 100 people, several aircraft and multiple law enforcement agencies.
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During a Friday morning line search of a cornfield less than a quarter of a mile from the girl's Qulin home, searchers heard the dog barking and found the toddler nearby. They believe the child wandered away from her home, and the dog, identified by KFVS-TV as "Fat Heath," followed and stayed with her all night.
Other than mosquito bites, the young girl was unharmed.
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol lauded the community's response to the child's disappearance, writing on Twitter, "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"