NEWAYGO COUNTY, Mich. — The Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating what happened to a little girl that was lost for around 24-hours, then found in the woods.
Amber Rose Smith, 2, was found nearly two miles from her Paris, MI home.
Smith has been recovering at the hospital in Big Rapids since she was found Wednesday afternoon.
She had scratches on her face body consistent with having walked through the woods during her ordeal.
However, investigators want to check every possible scenario to make sure Amber did in fact make the journey on her own.
We’re told that Child Protective Services is assisting in the investigation, looking into the family situation at the household.
Although there have been reports that CPS had contacted the family in the past, there were no court files in Newaygo or Mecosta County indicating that any action had been taken in family court if there was an investigation in the past.
Deputies say they have nothing currently on their radar that shows that Amber didn’t wander into the woods herself, but they say it’s important to cover every angle before they wrap up this investigation.
“There’s some that aren’t convinced that she walked that entire distance that maybe she was dropped off. Those are things that we want to try to determine. She’s a very special little girl and who would have thought she would have been in that good of health after 24 hours, going through what she did? So, the fact that she walked a mile and 3-quarters that’s very possible and we’re just happy that she’s OK,” said Brian Boyd, Newaygo Coutny Undersheriff.
Boyd said they will likely have their investigation wrapped up within the next week.
