90 volunteers searched for a missing toddler lost in dense woods for 5 hours — until a heroic dog's discovery brought her parents to tears

The volunteer said the dense woods made the search risky yet he trusted the dog’s instincts completely.

PUBLISHED OCT 27, 2025

(L) Small child lost in the woods, (R) Dog and police officer walk for service in training. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Elva Etienne, (R) Jacob Wackerhausen)

The police received a 911 call from a distressed mother about her missing toddler, who had wandered off into the thick woods near their home. A search team of 90 volunteers arrived to assist the parents in finding their 2-year-old, who had been lost for five hours by then. Among the volunteers was a skilled German Shepherd, Freyja. Moments later, the worried parents broke down into tears when they saw the dog emerge from the woods.

A child missing in the woods. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Jonas Mohamadi)

On the afternoon of October 10, 2025, the mother informed the police that her daughter had gone missing after escaping from the family’s backyard in Dorchester. She explained that their pet dogs had broken through their fence, allowing the toddler to slip out, per PEOPLE. Authorities did not waste time and launched a swift search, knowing the frigid weather conditions in New Hampshire. The mother informed that her child was not wearing warm clothes, but a light sweater and thin leggings. "Everybody dropped what they were doing and came over extremely quickly, knowing the temperature was dropping,” Sgt. Christopher McKee of New Hampshire Fish and Game told The Post, per the source.

Two multiracial police officers are working outdoors at night. (Representative Image source: Getty Images | Photo by kali9)

As night fell, the search team of 90 volunteers expected the temperatures would drop to the 20s. Jeremy Corson showed up with his trained search and rescue dog, Freyja, after driving 40 miles from Concord to help out the family. He believed in his 7-year-old dog’s abilities. Corson had been working with New England K9 Search and Rescue for 13 years. He knew every passing minute was precious and headed straight for the woods with Freyja. “Time is of the essence with a 2-year-old, both because they’re young and because the more time passes, the more they can travel,” he said.

A search dog with a police officer. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | jtyler)

Eventually, the search dog picked up on the missing child’s scent and tracked her down with her nose. Corson revealed that the dense woods were certainly a risk due to very poor visibility. However, he knew the dog would find the missing child, noting her tracking behavior. The duo reached a point with “rough piece of woods” and called out the toddler’s name. Shockingly, they heard a response from the other side. “I could definitely tell she was cold and scared,” Corson noted. They brought the child back home, making for a heartwarming reunion. The mother got very emotional while every other volunteer was “absolutely ecstatic” to see the child safe and unharmed. The child was then taken to the hospital for a full-body checkup.

Loving daughter embracing mother while sitting on kitchen counter at home. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Maskot)

Meanwhile, Freyja was hailed as a hero dog as pride filled Corson’s heart. Once again, she had successfully done what she was trained to do—save lives. The pup received toys and lots of scratches as a reward for her brave act. According to VCA Hospitals, dogs have good scent memory and can even identify scents they have not smelled for years. A simple sniff is enough to identify humans even when they cannot see them.