Missing 3-year-old found in cornfield, dog at her side

QULIN, Mo. -- A 3-year-old girl is safe after spending the night in a rural Missouri cornfield, her faithful dog by her side.

In fact, the tiny Yorkshire terrier played a role in her rescue.

The ordeal began around 8:30 p.m. Thursday with a 911 call the girl had wandered away from her home near Qulin in Butler County.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott said a search began, including an airplane, but the girl was not found overnight.

Volunteers joined police to search a cornfield Friday morning. Just after 8 a.m., search dogs began barking -- and a tiny dog voice started yapping in response.

Searchers found the girl with her dog. The child had several mosquito bites but was otherwise unharmed.