MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Police say a 2-year-old girl somehow got out of her crib overnight, sneaked out the back door as temperatures dipped into the teens and got into a neighbor’s apartment.
Zoey Rose Guerrero Pena was last seen asleep in her crib at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday inside her grandmother’s house in Manchester, police said. Officers were called to the home on West Mitchell Street about 3:30 a.m. Friday and searched the neighborhood, using dogs and a helicopter.
A neighbor woke up in her apartment nearby at about 9:15 a.m. and saw the child sleeping in a bed. The neighbor contacted police immediately.
Authorities were having the child, who was only wearing a pink one-piece sleeper, checked out at a hospital. Police said they planned to gather more details on the case.
Manchester Police Lt. Brian O’Keefe thanked all the officers and firefighters who participated in the search. Police searched the home extensively as well as the surrounding neighborhood. Residents were asked to refrain from entering the search area.
The girl’s mother, Geraldine Pena, said her daughter was in good condition. The Nashua woman was not at the Manchester home when her daughter was reported missing.
“I want to thank everyone from the core of my soul,” Geraldine said. “People who don’t even know us were out in the cold trying to help. I want to thank them so much.”
The girl’s father said she had never slept at her grandmother’s before.
“Just thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I know that the whole county was working,” Zoey’s father said.
Zoey has since been reunited with her parents.
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