Mom: Psychic said missing toddler would be found safe

MCDONOUGH, Ga. — DeKalb County police say they do not believe an 18-month old girl who was missing for several hours Tuesday night got out of her home on her own.

Officers had been searching the Ellenwood area around Orbit Circle and River Road since about 8 p.m. Tuesday. The girl, identified by family members as Tiona Jenkins, was found sitting on a rock outside a nearby abandoned home. Police said the girl was sitting quietly and was unharmed.

Word came shortly after midnight Wednesday that they had found the child.

Tiona's mom, Tearah White, told Channel 2's Amanda Cook she called a psychic hotline after dialing 911.

She said she noticed Tiona was missing because the house suddenly got quiet.

"I was actually just hoping that they would coach me and tell me exactly where my daughter is. All they told me is she gets found and that the person who took her got scared," White said.

White believes that someone came in undetected and took the child, then put her behind a nearby house.

Police called the case very unique and unusual.

"We're not going to let go of this case until we find out exactly what happened and who's responsible for that child sitting there," Police Chief Cedric Alexander said.

Alexander said dozens of officers had searched the area where Tiona was found at least three times before she was found.

Tiona was taken to the hospital to be checked out and then she will be placed in the care of the Department of Families and Children until police figure out what happened.

Check back with WSBTV.com for updates.

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