VIDEO: Missing 11-year-old girl found in park bathroom by HCSO K9

WIMAUMA, Fla. - K9 Mary Lou helped find a missing and endangered 11-year-old girl on Friday night, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Just before 8 p.m., HCSO says Deputy Sarah Ernstes and K9 Mary Lou responded to the 16000 block of Carlton Lake Drive to help search for the missing child.

"They take the pillowcase from the 11-year-old and let this puppy sniff the pillowcase," Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "That's all she had to go on."

They tracked the 11-year-old to a neighbor's house, where they learned the residents had given her a ride to a nearby apartment complex in Wimauma to see her friend, according to deputies. It's something that "wasn’t abnormal," according to Sheriff Chronister. 

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The K9 and her handler went to the apartment complex, but Mary Lou didn’t find anything there. Instead, the K9 led her handler to Bethune Park in Wimauma, which is near the apartment complex the girl was reportedly dropped off at. 

The sheriff told FOX 13 that the girl heard the deputies looking for her and got scared. Thinking she was in trouble, she hid in the park bathroom and locked the door, according to Sheriff Chronister. 

The K9 alerted depute to that locked bathroom door, and the sheriff's office said the child was found safe and without injury.

"You see that 11-year-old walk out, and Mary Lou gets just as excited as the deputies when that big wet kiss goes on their face," Sheriff Chronister said.