Maine Wardens Safely Find a 2-Year-Old Who Strayed Away from Camp
Maine Wardens found a 2-year-old girl who had gone missing from her parents' campsite.
Blaklyn Greenleaf, who just turned 2 last month, was last seen by her parents sleeping in their camper at the Jo Mary Lake Campground in TB R10 WELS, in northeast Piscataquis County. When her family woke up at 7 a.m. Blaklyn was missing and the camper door was open. Her parents did a quick search and then called 911.
Game Wardens, as well as members of the Penobscot County Sheriff's Office, Maine Forest Rangers, Maine State Police, and Maine Marine Patrol responded to the campground and organized a search for the girl. In addition to the ground search, two Warden Service planes searched the area, as well as a Maine Forest Service helicopter and a Piscataquis Sheriff's drone.
Blaklyn was found at approximately 10:45 a.m. by Warden Tyler Leach while he was searching through one of the camp parking areas where boat trailers and ice shacks are stored. As he walked around one of the ice shacks to check it, he looked over the stone wall that borders the lot, and saw the toddler sitting on top of a brush pile. She was wearing flowered pajamas and had her blanket.
Leach, who is a father himself, talked soothingly to Blaklyn, who reached her arms out to him and let him pick her up. He then raced back to the campground carrying Blaklyn and was met by her grateful parents.
Thankfully, a check of the girl showed that she didn't need any medical attention after spending most of the night in the woods. She is now back with her family.