Child found playing short distance from Callaway County babysitter’s home after search

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 2-year-old who was reported missing from a babysitter's home Friday afternoon in Callaway County was found playing nearby, the sheriff's office said.

The child was reported missing at about 2:15 p.m. from an address on County Road 326 near Fulton, the Callaway County Sheriff's Office said in a statement posted to social media. A search was mounted that included a Highway Patrol helicopter, the sheriff's office said.

The toddler was found playing in a yard about 1,200 feet away, approximately 50 minutes later, by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper.

Medics evaluated the child, who was released to a parent.