A three-year-old girl who sparked a major police appeal after being found alone in Southampton city centre has been safely reunited with her family.
The youngster was found at Houndwell Park, Palmerston Road, at around 3.25pm on Wednesday, prompting officers to make an urgent public appeal to establish her identity and locate whoever was responsible for her care.
Police circulated a description of the child and said she was safe and being looked after while enquiries were carried out.
The appeal was widely shared across social media as concern grew for the girl’s welfare and the circumstances surrounding her being found alone.
Police confirm family located
Officers have now confirmed that the child has been identified and her family located, bringing the public appeal to an end.
Police thanked everyone who helped circulate the information, saying: “We want to thank you all for caring, and for sharing our post last night.”
The force said the purpose of releasing information about the youngster had been to identify her and find her family.
No further information about the girl’s personal circumstances is expected to be released.
The immediate welfare concern has now been resolved, with police confirming the child is safe and her family has been identified.
