Two young girls reported missing earlier this week in Berea have been found safe, in a conclusion to a tense few days for the local community and the girls' families. The Berea Police Department confirmed that Natalie Dunigan, 14, who is a type 1 diabetic, and Alexis Bartley, 12, were located following their disappearance from Ohio Guidestone before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, as reported by FOX8. Specifics regarding where the girls were found have not been disclosed.
Authorities have been actively searching for the two since their reported disappearance, highlighting the urgency given Dunigan's medical condition. The community effort to safely recover them involved multiple agencies, with Berea police expressing their gratitude to the United States Marshals, the Akron Fire Department, and the Akron Police Department for their assistance. According to a statement obtained by News 5 Cleveland, the collaborative effort proved essential in finding the girls unharmed.
The circumstances that led the young girls to run away remain unclear, but the relief within the Berea community is palpable. Both Dunigan and Bartley seemed to have vanished independently, sparking widespread concern for their wellbeing. Amidst the anxiety, the Berea Police Department kept the public informed and requested assistance in tracing the girls' whereabouts, as echoed in their appeal posted on Cleveland19.
