MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — The three children who were lost in Sam Houston National Forest overnight Friday have been found safe, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirmed.
The children reportedly came out of the woods on their own, after sunrise, about a mile from where they went missing, officials said.
Note: the video in this story is a raw clip from a press conference with deputies at 10 a.m. — we'll update this story as we learn more
Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough shared an image of the kids walking along a wet pavement to be reunited with their families.
The sheriff's office first announced the search Thursday evening, saying the children went missing in the area of 20800 Julie Lane, Montgomery, Texas. Authorities were looking around the Flamingo Lakes subdivision.
The children, reported to be two boys and one girl — ages 6 to 7, were last seen walking from one house to another on a trail that leads through the community. The trail is popular because it keeps children from having to walk along the main road, the sheriff's office says.
The children were last seen Thursday afternoon, while it was still daylight outside. But when they did not show up at the home they were heading to, family members notified the sheriff's office at about 8 p.m.
He estimated the trail the children walked is about half a mile long and is heavily wooded with no drinking water.
Multiple law enforcement agencies were at the forest along with Montgomery County Search & Rescue. Their active search was briefly halted overnight due to the darkness and poor weather, although first responders remained at the scene.
The active search resumed Friday morning.
The sheriff's office said they did not release photos of the children during the search because foul play was not expected.
There’s no criminal investigation underway, but Lt. Scott Spencer said the children will be interviewed once they’re fully rested and fed.