Nadia Marie Cullum Located Safely as Family Dog Chip Stays by Her Side

 The search for three-year-old Nadia Marie Cullum in Edgefield County ended with welcome news Thursday evening: she was found safe, and so was the family dog that had reportedly accompanied her. After hours of concern and a coordinated search involving multiple agencies, Sheriff Jody Rowland confirmed the outcome, bringing relief to those following the effort.

Authorities began searching after Nadia reportedly wandered away from home shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday. The search centered on Garrett Road near Martintown Road in Edgefield County, South Carolina. As the hours passed, officials shared information about the missing child and asked the public to remain clear of the area while teams worked to locate her.

Nadia was described as three years old, with blond hair and blue eyes, standing approximately three feet two inches tall. She was last seen wearing black leggings and a black shirt with purple designs. Authorities also believed she might be accompanied by the family’s beagle, Chip, making the dog an important detail in the search as teams tried to determine where the child had gone.

The effort quickly grew into a multi-agency operation. Edgefield County deputies received assistance from law enforcement officers and search teams from Aiken and McCormick counties, along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Natural Resources. Helicopters and bloodhounds were also deployed as responders worked to cover the search area and find the young girl.

At 7:40 p.m., the sheriff’s office issued a public request for people to stay away from the area while the search continued. Such requests can help responders work without unnecessary interruptions and allow search teams to concentrate on the task at hand. Officials were coordinating resources as the operation continued, with Nadia’s safe return remaining the central goal.

The update came at approximately 7:55 p.m., when the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office announced that Nadia had been located safely. Sheriff Rowland also confirmed that Chip had been found safe. According to the sheriff, the dog had “stayed with her all the way,” a detail that added a particularly touching note to the outcome after an anxious evening for the family and community.

The successful conclusion brought an end to the urgent search that had drawn personnel from several agencies into the Edgefield County area. The information released by authorities did not provide further details about precisely where Nadia was found or the circumstances leading to her discovery. Officials’ confirmed update, however, established the essential outcome: the child and the dog were both safe.

For families and neighbors who had been watching the search unfold, the announcement offered the news everyone had hoped to hear. A missing child report can quickly bring uncertainty and fear, especially when the child is so young. In this case, coordinated work by responding agencies ended with Nadia’s safe recovery, while Chip’s companionship became one of the most memorable details of the evening.