A widespread search for a missing Barrington child ended in relief about four hours after it started on New Year’s Eve.

According to police, a 12-year-old Barrington girl went missing from her home at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31. 

Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia said a family member called the station and reported that the girl had left the home and could not be located. The department responded quickly.

Police officers — more than a dozen officers participated in the search — checked areas across Barrington, including local schoolyards, woods, parks and coastlines. 

Police then issued a notice to surrounding departments to be on the lookout for the girl, who was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and black sweatpants.

Barrington Police also contacted Providence PD directly and asked for assistance checking a residence in the city where it was believed someone who knew the girl lived. That check turned up negative. 

The department also issued a request to other agencies for assistance with a K-9 team. Woonsocket Police sent its K-9 unit to Barrington and it scoured a number of locations. 

Barrington Police also issued a town-wide text alert, and before long they received a call from someone who spotted an individual matching the description on Mathewson Road heading toward Ferry and Anchorage Way. Officers checked that area but could not find the missing girl. 

The police department also utilized a drone that is equipped with an infrared camera. The drone checked different wooded areas, but to no avail.

Police returned to the girl’s home and conducted an additional search of the interior. It was at that time police officers located the girl hiding in the home’s attic. Chief Correia said it was likely the girl left the home, then doubled back and hid in the attic. 

“After about four hours of searching, closer to five hours, we ended up locating the young girl,” Chief Correia said. “You have to exhaust every effort to find the kid. You don’t have a choice.

“It was a raw rainy night, and everybody was out in the elements working hard. They did a good job.”

The chief said the girl complained that she had injured her ankle during the incident; EMTs transported her to an area hospital. He said the girl would not talk to officers following the ordeal.

“She was not really all that cooperative,” he said.