The mother of a two-year-old girl who ran off with her dogs before being found sleeping in the woods says she is “terrified how adventurous” her daughter is.
Brooke Chase, 25, revealed to DailyMail.com the heartbreaking moment she and her husband Alex, 24, realized Thea was missing.
“We started shouting at her and the dogs since we noticed all three were missing and after about 20 minutes of panicked searching through the woods and up and down the road… we immediately called the police,” she said.
The Michigan mother of two explained that the family currently lives in Thea’s uncle Marcus’s remote home in Faithorn in the state’s Upper Peninsula and “shadowed” him while he worked in the garden.
‘I was in such a fog and such a shock. “I felt and still feel like I’m in a movie and none of this is real,” she said.
Michigan mother-of-two Brooke Chase (second from left) revealed the heartbreaking moment Thea (right) went missing in the woods. They are pictured with Alex (2nd right), her husband and youngest son, Ryker (left)
When police finally found the young girl, Brooke said she had been sleeping her uncle Marcus’ female Springer Spaniel, Hartley (pictured)
Meanwhile, the toddler’s own dog, Buddy, a male Rottweiler, stood guard while the two-year-old rested
“I’m just stunned that this even happened and I’m so grateful that those dogs wrapped around her little finger and kept her safe.”
Brooke said her daughter Thea is the oldest sibling and 11 months older than her little brother Ryker.
When police finally found the young girl, Brooke said she had been sleeping on Marcus’ female Springer Spaniel, Hartley, while her own dog, a male Rottweiler named Buddy, kept watch.
‘Thea actually slept on Hartley while Buddy kept watch and Brutus, the man who found her, actually only found her because of Buddy,” she said.
Both dogs have been with the family since they were puppies, with the Chase family often posting photos of Thea and Ryker with their now enormous Rottweiler.
“She’s so adventurous and always has been, which makes me nervous for her teenage years haha!” Brooke laughed.
“When she saw me, she just smiled and giggled and said, ‘Hi Mom!’ As if nothing happened.
Brooke said her daughter Thea is the oldest sibling and 11 months older than her little brother Ryker. She saw them sleeping with Buddy here
A photo of Brooke and Buddy shows the size of the large Rottweiler the family has had since he was a puppy
“She said ‘so stupid’ and kept giggling and all I could do was ask her, ‘Did you have fun, stupid girl?’ I didn’t want her to know how scared I was because I didn’t want to upset her. ‘
Brooke said she was grateful that the faithful canines had been with her and that she had a mother’s intuition that she was probably sleeping somewhere “because it was already bedtime.”
Thea walked away from her home with Buddy and Hartley on Wednesday and was found fast asleep in a remote forest three miles from her uncle’s property, police revealed.
Troopers from the Michigan State Police Iron Mountain post were called to assist at 8 p.m. and a manhunt was launched.
Troopers used drones and police dogs in the search, while 50 local police and residents from both Michigan and neighboring Wisconsin helped search for Thea in the remote wooded area.
Thea walked away from her home with Buddy and Hartley on Wednesday and was found fast asleep in a remote forest three miles from her uncle’s estate in Faithorn in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Thea is seen smiling playfully as she poses with her father Alex
It was around midnight when a resident on an ATV spotted Thea sleeping about three miles from her home using Hartley as a “furry pillow” while Buddy kept watch.
Lt. Mark Giannunzio said Thursday, “She lay down and used one of the dogs as a pillow, and the other dog was right next to her and kept her safe. It really is a remarkable story.’
Brooke, who has previously shared photos of Thea lying on their family’s Rottweiler Buddy at home, said she is ‘still in shock’ after the ordeal.
She wrote on Facebook: ‘It was the nightmare I never wanted to experience. I’m so glad my little girl is home safe with us tonight. Her dogs kept her safe. I’m still in shock.’