Fundraiser created for nonverbal, autistic 5-year-old who was rescued from woods

DANVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) — Last week, a 5-year-old girl who is nonverbal autistic went missing for hours. She was found two miles from her home after a huge search effort in Boyle County. Now, a fundraiser hopes to bring in enough money so the girl’s family can purchase a monitoring device, fence, sensory toys and more to keep her safe.

On June 5, around 7:30 p.m., the Boyle County Sheriff’s Office posted on its Facebook page that Emma Dunaway was missing from Lebanon Road. First responders began searching for Emma and shortly after, community members showed up to help.

After three hours of searching, Emma was found two miles from her home — but safe.

“I saw a community bond together to find a gentle little soul. I don’t exactly know how many times that I prayed for her to be found safe, but I know that I wasn’t the only one who prayed that same pray over and over again! I saw how easy it was to forget it was dinner time and how high gas prices were to bring out your side by sides and four wheelers and to search on an empty stomach. I am proud of each and everyone that help in every way that they could,” Sheriff Taylor Bottom wrote on Facebook.

Now, Anne Clay started a GoFundMe to raise money for Emma’s family so they can get her a monitoring device, fence, sensory toys, help for medicine she will need to recover from being in the woods barefoot for hours and more.

As of publishing time, $2,340 of a $9,000 goal has been raised.

If you’d like to donate, head here: Fundraiser for Emma Dunaway