Today's Edition
DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
A six-year-old girl who became separated from her family in Dubai was safely reunited with her parents within just 30 minutes of the incident being reported to police, following a rapid search by officers from Naif Police Station.
The incident has prompted Dubai Police to remind parents and guardians to keep young children under close supervision in public places and teach them what to do and who to approach if they become lost.
Search Began Immediately
Expert Brigadier Omar Mousa Ashour, Director of Naif Police Station, said the station received a report from the Command and Control Centre at the General Department of Operations concerning a missing six-year-old girl in the Frij Al Murar area.
Officers immediately formed a search team and circulated the girl’s photograph among all police patrols and investigation teams at the station.
Within half an hour of receiving the report, a Naif Police Station patrol located the child on a street within the station’s area of jurisdiction.
Found Frightened and Crying
When officers found the girl, she was crying and extremely frightened.
The patrol brought her safely to Naif Police Station, where the Victim Communication Section provided her with care and attention while officers waited for her father to arrive.
She was then safely reunited with her family.
How the Child Got Lost
Brigadier Ashour said the girl’s father told police that he had taken his daughter with him to a grocery shop near their home.
After completing his shopping, he turned around and could no longer see her.
Believing she had returned to their residential building, he went back but discovered that she was not with her mother.
He searched the area surrounding their home and, when he was unable to find her, contacted Dubai Police.
Teach Children What to Do if They Get Lost
Following the incident, Dubai Police urged parents and guardians not to leave children unattended and stressed that families have a fundamental responsibility to protect young children from potential harm.
Parents were also encouraged to teach children how to respond if they become separated from their families, particularly in crowded places and public areas.
Children should know that if they become lost, they can approach police officers or security personnel and ask for help.
The incident ended safely thanks to the rapid response of police teams, but Dubai Police stressed that close supervision and preparing children for such situations can help prevent a moment of separation from becoming a more serious risk.
