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April 3, 2011 permalink

When two-year-old Tyler Jacobson was lost overnight, he was saved by the family dog.

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Family dog kept watch over missing 2-year-old overnight

Tyler Jacobson

(Source: Kershaw County Sheriff's Office)

By Logan Smith, Posted: Friday, April 1, 2011 11:30 PM EST, Updated: Saturday, April 2, 2011 6:59 PM EST

ELGIN, SC (WIS) - A missing 2-year-old boy in Elgin was found Saturday morning after Kershaw County deputies say the family dog kept him warm and safe all night.

Sheriff Jim Matthews said 22-month-old Tyler Jacobson was reunited with his family after he was found across the street behind a neighbor's home when someone reported hearing crying in the area.

Tyler was reported missing around 8:00pm Friday from a residence on Ashley Creek Drive. Matthews said the boy's mother, 25-year-old Jacklyn Marie Jacobson, and her boyfriend Jose Gloria told investigators Tyler went to get some juice and didn't come back.

Kershaw County deputies used a bloodhound tracking team and a SLED helicopter with infrared capabilities, but called the search off around 12:30am Saturday. The search resumed around 7:45am, and the boy was found shortly thereafter. "Just thinking that a dog would watch a baby over the night, it's kind of like a movie instead of real life," said Emily DuBose, who lives in the house outside which the baby was found.

DuBose had no idea a story of devotion and survival was playing out right outside her door. "When we saw the choppers last night, we just assumed a criminal was loose, so I locked the door," said Linda Harr, who also lives at the house. "The last thing I was gonna do is go outside."

"I heard some barking early in the morning, but I didn't really think about it, I just heard dogs barking," said DuBose.

But during the night, Jacobson's dog was keeping watch over his 22-month-old master in temperatures that got down to the 40s. "I just wish I'd have known, I could have warmed him up, called the cops," said Harr.

Now, words of praise for the dog who likely helped save little Tyler's life. "Since he belonged to them, he must have followed them the whole way, so that's very special," said Harr.

And so this story has a happy ending, thanks to the special bond of a child's best friend.

Sheriff Matthews said the family was interviewed Friday night, and again on Saturday. He said the boy's biological father is in the Army and stationed in Hawaii, and is currently on his way back to Kershaw County.

Source: WIS-TV