news-record.com

GREENSBORO — A full-scale search for a missing 5-year-old girl ended uneventfully Monday evening when the girl turned up with her mother, who was out running errands.

Officials with Greensboro police, fire and the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office began searching around 5 p.m. when Giordano Biondano of  Retriever Lane reported that his daughter Katerina was missing from the home.

Police searched two hours for the blond-hair, blue-eyed girl and her mother, who could not be raised on her cell phone. The search included a ground search using bloodhounds, patrols and ATVs and an air search using the sheriff's office search plane.

Police were in the process of issuing an Amber Alert for the girl and a vehicle description for the mother when the pair drove up in the family’s driveway. Biondani said he was on the telephone in his office and noticed the girl was missing from the family's living room.

"She came home and picked her up and probably called to me but I didn't hear her," Biondano said upon speaking with his wife.

The mother said she was home for an hour before leaving with the child around 4 p.m.

"The speed and resources that were put the search were overwhelming and made us realize what a caring community Greensboro really is," McCann said in an e-mail late Monday.

"We are so thankful and grateful that such outstanding people are in public service."

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com