KOTA KINABALU: In an incident that sparked a massive search operation, a young girl who ran away from home following a heated argument over a pair of shoes in Kota Belud district has been found safe. The 11-year-old, who was reported missing by her parents on Sunday, was discovered by concerned villagers at Kampung Dudar around 9.30pm on Monday. Firemen revealed that she had gone into hiding and resisted returning home, only emerging when exhaustion and hunger took over.
The quarrel between the girl and her 10-year-old sister, which centered around a pair of shoes, led to her decision to leave home after her parents scolded her. Fleeing into the nearby forest, she briefly returned home but promptly hid again upon discovering the presence of people. Luck was on her side when some villagers spotted her, and she was safely brought back home.
According to Kota Belud fire station chief Muhammad Syazwan Latun, this is not the first time the girl has resorted to running away as an escape from her parents’ scolding or disputes with her siblings. However, this incident marks the longest period she has ever gone missing. It was after the parents’ unsuccessful attempts to locate her that they decided to call for help, leading to a search operation involving over 30 individuals, including firemen, police, civil defense officials, and villagers.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
