MIAMI (WSVN) - An 11-year-old girl who went missing from her apartment complex in Miami has been found safe, police said.
City of Miami Police said they responded to the area of North Miami Avenue and 61st Street, just after 6:30 p.m., Tuesday.
Officials confirmed the girl they found at that location is 11-year-old Jayla Jones.
Speaking with 7News shortly after, Doris Jones, the girl’s great-aunt, said the family can now breathe a sigh of relief.
“This could have went so much worse. It could have been so much worse, but God, thank y’all, y’all didn’t give up,” she said.
Jayla went missing for roughly a day and a half. Her family said she was last seen at her apartment complex along Northeast 67th Street, near Second Avenue, at around 8:30 a.m., Monday.
Nakia Jones, the child’s mother, said she got into an argument with her grandmother about taking out the trash.
“I saw her in the house. She was supposed to take out the garbage can, and my mom was arguing ’cause she didn’t want to take out the garbage,” she said.
“She went to take out the garbage. She never came back,” said Doris.
Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina discussed the department’s search efforts during a news conference, Tuesday afternoon.
“We know from video that she left the apartment at 8:26 in the morning. It appears that she’s leaving on her own accord,” he said. “She’s not being forced out of the apartment. She’s just walking out on her own.”
7News cameras captured Miami Police officers going door-to-door and handing out flyers, Monday afternoon.
Officers were spotted at the apartment complex the next day as well.
Jayla’s family worked closely with the police in the search. Loved ones hit the streets Tuesday evening to put up flyers.
Some time later, they said, they received the call from good Samaritan Kim Myers, who said she spotted the girl walking down North Miami Avenue, near 62nd Street.
“I called her mama and told her to come get her,” she said.
Officers were able to track her down and bring her to headquarters in downtown Miami to speak with detectives.
“I thank God for everything He did!” said Regina Deziri Jones, Jayla’s grandmother. “I said my granddaughter was going to be home before the sun came down, and God is good all the time.”
Miami Fire crews checked Jayla to make sure she was OK.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.