MADISON COUNTY — A community united brought support to one Madison County neighborhood after a three-year-old boy went missing Wednesday morning.
“I have little ones and I would want someone to come out if it was my child,” Ashley White, of Greenfield said. She came to search for Abdul Agboolawith friend Zoey Petersen. Police said Agboola went missing after walking out of his home around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Michaela Phillippi joined White and Petersen as part of a volunteer search party. She came from her home in Fishers after learning about everything going on.
“I have a son who’s almost two years old and it just broke my heart this morning to think about it after dropping him off at daycare, thinking it could’ve been him. Makes me [want to] come out and try to do everything I can,” Phillippi said.
Volunteers who lived in the neighborhood and others who traveled, some as far as Muncie, came to help in the efforts to find Agboola.
“Pray. I mean that’s all we can do is just pray and hope he’s okay. The Lord will know where he’s at and how to keep him safe and all we can do is rely on our faith and hope he’s okay,” Jessica Green, who came with her daughter said.
The volunteer search party worked alongside area firefighters and searched through the sub-development off of State Road 13 starting around 10:30 a.m. The group looked through backyards, driveways and vegetation.
Around noon, news broke Agboola was found safe and alert about a half-mile from his home.
“The baby’s found y’all. I am so emotional right now. It was so breathtaking looking for that baby,” Carol Hibbs said with tears in her eyes. She said she came from “right down the road” in Fortville.
Hibbs and several other volunteers Wednesday afternoon added they are all grateful to see everyone unite under one goal.
“Precious to me. It just tells me what we’re about our community. We all come together in a time of need. I’m just speechless right now. I’m just so happy,” Hibbs said.
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