A 3-year-old girl from North Carolina has been missing since her mother put her to bed Sunday night.
Mariah Woods, from Onslow County, was reported missing early Monday morning after her mother, Kristy Woods, discovered that she wasn’t in her bed, where she had last seen her the night before. An Amber Alert has since been issued for the little girl.
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“We’re conducting an investigation,” Onslow County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Maj. Chris Thomas told PEOPLE. “We’re still following tips and leads from the AMBER Alert and other sources.”
As of Tuesday morning, FBI, NCIS, Onslow County Sheriff’s Department, and military police were all working on the case. Their search is primarily focused on the land behind the houses where the 3-year-old went missing. Four volunteer fire departments, law enforcement officials, and K-9 units were brought in to aid in the search. Drones and helicopters are also being used for aerial support.
“We don’t know what happened,” Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller told local station Channel 12. “It’s entirely premature to try to determine what happened.”
The FBI took control of the investigation yesterday, and the girl’s mother, Kristy Woods, and her live-in boyfriend have both been interviewed.
“I love her and I’ll never let her go again,” Kristy Woods said. “I just want to hold her tight and see her smile.”
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