Police Dog Finds Disabled Missing Girl

Los Angeles: A severely disabled 16-year-old girl who was missing from her home for over three hours was located in Van Nuys and returned safely to her family.

On Jan. 31, 2009, at around 11:30 p.m., officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Mission Division arrived at the residence of the missing girl.  By 1:15 a.m., Officer Jason Schwab and his three-year-old bloodhound Sage, of the LAPD Metropolitan Division’s K-9 Unit, joined the search.  Using the missing girl’s shoes and a shirt as reference, Sage immediately began trailing the scent of the missing girl for about an hour on a path that extended for nearly one mile.

At about 3 a.m., the girl was found unharmed, crying and huddling in a storefront doorway at the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Parthenia Avenue.  She was immediately transported back to her anxiously awaiting family members who were greatly relieved.

The winning outcome of the search, already the second successful search for the canines this year, is due to the efforts of the LAPD’s Tracking and Trailing Program.  Canine members of the program consist of two bloodhounds and one German shepherd, and the program has become an outstanding resource for critical missing persons and crime scene investigations since its inception in 2003.

Questions regarding the LAPD Metropolitan Division K-9 Unit may be directed to Lieutenant Robert Arcos or Sergeant Gerry Sola at 213-847-6148.