3-Year-Old Autistic Boy Goes Missing, Is Found A Mile From Home With The Family Dogs Guiding Him

One family from Ponce De Leon, Florida, has just experienced something that can scar your heart for life. Wednesday morning, their three-year-old boy, Marshal, went missing.

Not only did the toddler disappear wearing only his diaper, but Marshal’s also autistic and can’t speak, leaving his family even more worried about their chances to reunite with the boy. The only thing that gave them comfort was that he disappeared with Nala and Buckwheat, two loyal family dogs.

“We were panicked,” Marshal’s aunt Kayla Stewart told WJHG/WECP, adding that “all sorts of worst-case scenarios [were] running through their heads.”

Wednesday morning, a three-year-old boy went missing in Ponce De Leon, Florida

Image credits: Walton County Sheriff, Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.

Little Marshal is autistic and can’t speak, which could’ve made the search even more difficult

Image credits: Walton County Sheriff, Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.

But he was found later that same day, thanks to his loyal dogs

Image credits: Walton County Sheriff, Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.

Image credits: WJHG

Image credits: Walton County Sheriff, Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.

Both Nala and Buckwheat were by the toddler’s side. “[His] dogs were right there with him,” the neighbor recalled. “[We’re] thankful that the pups kind of guided him along, I guess they kept him safe.”

Both the neighbors, who quickly split up and searched the area, and the sheriff’s department, which posted about the case on Facebook, were trying to find the toddler. But it was the first group that succeeded.

Carol Shelton saw the boy later that afternoon about a mile away from his home. Even though Marshal was covered in dirt, he was completely fine. And I wouldn’t even call it a miracle, rather, an outcome that Marshal’s very earthly guardian angels ensured.

Marshal’s family were beyond happy to see their precious little boy back home safe and unharmed. They were also very proud of their canine family members. “They’re doing their job,” the boy’s mom said.