By Rupert Howell
Panola County searchers located a six-year-old girl just minutes before dark after her eight-year-old sister showed up at a residence in Pope wet and cold, according to Panola County Emergency Management Director Daniel Cole.
Both had been into a pond and gotten out according to Cole who said approximately 30 searchers included volunteers of Panola County Search and Rescue, Panola County Sheriff deputies, Dept. of Wildlife officers and EMA staff.
The sisters were transported to Merit Health in Batesville by Med Stat ambulance which was waiting.
The girls were checked out according to Cole who referred further questions concerning the juveniles to Panola County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Dennis Darby said Tuesday that his deputies turned the girls over to the custody of a grandparent and notified the Department of Human Services who would further look into the matter.
The older sister showed up at a Pope residence at approximately 4 p.m. according to Cole who said, “our objective was to find the six-year-old before dark.”
Cole said from conversations the children had left the house while playing outside, “and one thing led to another.”
The late afternoon search with the before darkness deadline was concentrated into a short time period with December’s early darkness, but searchers met their objective.