Video: Girl with autism rescued from swampy woods by Hillsborough County deputies

TAMPA, Fla. - A five-year-old girl with autism who wandered away from her home on Monday is back with her family. 

Bodycam video shows the moment deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office found the child in a swampy, wooded area. 

According to HCSO, the girl, who walked away from her home in the area of the 5000 block of Windbrush Avenue in Tampa, was spotted around 5 p.m. on Monday.  

A deputy with HCSO spots the child in the swampy area. Image is courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. 

The agency’s aviation unit used a thermal imaging camera to spot the girl walking through the heavily wooded wetlands area. 

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Aerial footage shows the child walking toward a body of water and the aerial unit was able to help guide deputies on the ground to her location, where she was found uninjured. 

A deputy talks with the child who was rescued from the woods. Image is courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. 

"Their quick action saved the day, turning a potential tragedy into a hopeful reunion," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Their dedication shows what service and protection are all about here at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office." 

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