(KAIR)--An extensive, five-hour search for a missing Jackson County child Monday has a happy ending.

“You just don’t ever know how these things are going to end,” said Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse. “We were worried about this going into the night. We were very happy when we got word she was located.”

Morse says it's believed the 3-year-old wandered from her western Jackson County home, accompanied by the family dog, sometime before she was reported missing around 9:00 Monday morning.

“Apparently, the mother had seen the child sleeping and went back to bed,” Morse said. “When the mother woke up, the child was missing. The German shepherd was also missing.”

The Sheriff's Office went to work to find the girl, joined by numerous law enforcement agencies, and volunteers.

“We used the Kansas Highway Patrol aircraft and assistance from various other agencies,” Morse said. “Jackson County Fire Department as well as surrounding law enforcement agencies and sheriff’s offices. We had assistance from Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks who brought some tracking dogs. The Kansas Highway Patrol was there as well, and we also had assistance from Kansas Search and Rescue Group who brought a tracking dog as well.”

 Both tensions, and temperatures, ran hot as the search proceeded, ultimately leading to the discovery of the little girl early Monday afternoon.

“We had two Jackson County Sheriff Deputies and two Kansas Wildlife Park Game Wardens that were using tracking dogs and went west of E Rd. and 166 Rd.,” Morse said. “They actually located the girl a little after 2 p.m., and she was a quarter mile east of a dead end. They found her sitting under a tree in the tall grass with her dog there to protect her.” 

Morse says EMS treated the child at the scene, and she was later transported to a Topeka Hospital for evaluation.