Bodycam captures emotional rescue of lost teen in Flagler County woods
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - A heart-stopping rescue was caught on camera in Flagler County after a teenager got lost in the woods while out riding her bike.
A mother's 911 call sparked a frantic search by deputies, leading to the daughter's safe return.
What we know:
The tense moments were captured on a Flagler County deputy's body camera. In the footage, 14-year-old Addison Toel can be heard issuing a desperate plea to the deputies who found her in the dark.
"Momma, I need my mommy!" Addison cried. "You're alright," a deputy reassured her. "Where is my mom? I need my mom." "Hey, you're alright. We have your mom," the deputy replied.
Addison, who asked FOX 35 News not to show her face on camera but permitted the use of a photo, said she was riding her bike along a trail in Palm Coast when she got turned around.
"I was trying to see a train, and I kind of ended up not knowing my way back," Addison explained.
Lost in the dark
Panicking and with her phone battery dying, Addison called her mom for help.
Her mother immediately called 911, sparking a frantic search as daylight faded.
When deputies finally located the terrified teen, the relief was palpable. Body camera video shows Addison asking a deputy for comfort.
"Can I have a hug? I’m so scared… Thank you so much. I thought I was going to die out here," she said.
Addison's mother, Amber Toel, said the moment she heard her daughter crying over the phone, her maternal instincts took over.
"It’s that mom moment where it’s just like... let me get to my baby," Amber said.
A tearful reunion
Body camera footage captured the tearful reunion between the two, with Addison embracing her mother and saying, "I’m sorry... I’m sorry Mommy."
Addison and her mother were finally reunited thanks to the quick work of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Rick Staly noted that Addison’s cries pulled at the heartstrings of his deputies, making the successful rescue all the more meaningful.
"It’s one of those things that first responders, law enforcement loves," Sheriff Staly said. "We would much rather spend the time finding someone who is lost, than be able to reunite them, than tell the parents a tragic ending."
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from FOX 35's Laryssa Leone.