A minor spent nearly 20 hours in Poinsett State Park in Wedgefield and was reported missing, finally reunites were parents

SUMTER, S.C. – A 3-year-old who had been missing for nearly 20 hours at Wedgefield’s Poinsett State Park has been reunited with her parents.

Ruby Heider disappeared during a camping trip with her family. The FBI, the Air Force, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, the Sumter Police Department, the Department of Natural Resources, and SLED spent the entire night searching for the small child.

Ruby was discovered unharmed, albeit terrified, cold, and dehydrated. Ruby disappeared at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Saturday around 11 a.m., she was discovered a mile away from where she went missing, according to the sheriff.

“We brought in our imaging systems, aviation unit, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Additionally, the State Law Enforcement Division assisted us with our aviation, as Sheriff Anthony Dennis explained.

Bloodhounds and campers searched the campgrounds on Friday night.

“Every camper in this campground showed up,” said camper Tracey Hagen. “We went outside with flashlights and began calling her name. We asked every camper at the site if they had seen her by knocking on their doors.

Another camper, Rhonda Mason, tells me she began searching for Ruby after Ruby’s mother yelled her name near their RV.

Poinsett Park encompasses 1,000 acres. Ruby, according to Sheriff Dennis, went off while searching for the restroom at the campsite.

Sheriff Dennis praised the community for their assistance in the search. He reports that there were so many volunteers that they had to turn some away.