Big Search Finds Girl

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 1

Big Search Finds Girl

Clad in a sleeveless frock and a cardigan, and without shoes or socks, a three-year-old girl who got lost in the Spencer Park area late on Saturday afternoon spent the night in t|ie open and is believed to have walked about dx miles.

She is Sherilyn Joy foodie, the daughter >f Mr and Mrs D. E. foodie, of 89 Crofton load, Harewood. She vas found huddled sleep in a hollow beween sandhills about >ne mile north of the Vaimairi Surf Club ravilion about 4.30 Lin. yesterday by a »arty of five civilians. Twenty policemen, police ogs and a large party of ivilians walked many miles earching. The search was oncentrated round Spencer Park and a party walked in line about two miles south along the beach without finding the. girl. There were 11 children in the family group which went to the beach about 4 pjn. •After Sherilyn was found to

be mining, Mr Moodie and his relatives searched the sandhills and undergrowth. Mr Moodie informed the caretaker at Spencer Park and a search was made in a utility vehicle.

Within a few minutes of the Central Police Station being told that the girl was missing, a sergeant and seven constables were on their way to Spencer Park. After a television news item in the evening, many members of the public offered their assistance and they were asked to bring torches and to report to the police control centre at Spencer Park. The group which found the girl comprised Helen Elsie Cooper and Frank Odering, of 24 Hillary Crescent, Brian John Giles and Judith Lorraine Giles, of 754 Marshland Road, and Richard Osborne Collett, of 57 Inwood Road. Mr Collett said that after searching the sandhills and round the Brooklands lagoon for about three hours, he saw footprints in the sand which indicated that the girl had walked south. He and the other members of the group travelled to Waimairi Beach in cars and set off to walk north along the beach His daughter had apparently wandered southwards from the Spencer Park Beach, Mr Moodie said yesterday. She had not travelled in a straight line and at times must have gone into the sandhills and scrub. “I want to express my appreciation to all those who took part in the search,” Mr Moodie said. “It was really encouraging and they did a great job.”