11-year-old girl missing in Hayward found safe in Oakland neighborhood
HAYWARD, Calif. - Hayward police say an 11-year-old girl reported missing early Monday afternoon, was found safe in Oakland a few hours later. Hayward and Oakland police are still investigating the case and haven’t released details about exactly what happened or how she was found.
Hayward P.D. issued an alert Monday afternoon saying the girl was missing from an area on Foothill and a few hours later, they announced she had been found safe in Oakland. One of the residents nearby tells us what he saw and heard.
"Basically I heard some yelling as I was coming outside my house," said Greg Strand, of Leona Heights.
Around 1:30 Monday afternoon Hayward Police issued an alert that an 11-year-old girl was missing and asked for the public’s help in finding her. She was last seen on Foothill Blvd near this Safeway plaza center. A short time later, Hayward Police confirmed the girl had been found in Oakland’s Leona Heights neighborhood.
"The neighbors up the street were watching their car out front. A girl had scurried out of a white sedan, screamed and ran towards my neighbors. They helped her out and put her in their house until the police came," Strand said.
Oakland police were called to McDonnell Avenue near Mountain Blvd. Investigators have not released any other details about who the girl was with or how she got to Oakland.
"We’re all checking our security cameras at this time to just verify and see if we can get a license plate or some kind of added assistance," Strand said.
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Strand says McDonnell Avenue is a semi-private road and he and his neighbors are always on the lookout for people and cars they don’t recognize.
"I just want to thank the neighbors for being alert and thank God that she was found. I hope she’s going to be alright," Strand said.
Hayward Police told us that they are investigating this case, and they hope to have more information about this incident on Tuesday.