The disappearance of a Saudi teenage girl sparked nationwide fear after she was reported missing on Sunday.
Identified as Nha'a Al Qahtani, the teen vanished on Saturday afternoon after going out to throw a garbage bag outside her house in Riyadh's Laban street. She had no phone or any other personal belongings on her, and according to her sister, Sara, showed no signs of being a runaway teen.
Speaking to local newspapers, Sara disclosed that her sister suffers from epilepsy, which generally amplifies the worry as the teen could've had a seizure in a foreign location without nearby assistance.
When her family's search attempts failed to locate her, Al Qahtani's sister took to Twitter to call on people in a bid to help find her. Thousands of people soon joined their efforts by launching a hashtag dedicated to share any information on the case, while hundreds of others formed search parties around the area where the teen disappeared.
Before she was found, her family announced a 50,000-riyal ($13,332) reward to be given to anyone who helps them find their daughter.
After the arrival of countless search groups in Riyadh, Sara announced that her sister had been found. In a tweet posted late on Monday, she wrote:
"Thank God, thank God, I am happy to inform you that we found her."
Another update posted on her account revealed that the girl's family were on their way to reunite with her.
In their report on the matter, Ajel news site stated that the teen was found by a man named Saad Al Aassem in a dark area located near the kingdom's security borders. According to Al Aassem, the teen had been there for at least four hours.
Police are now set to investigate the case
Speaking to Ajel, Al Aassem, who works as a driver for a delivery company, said the girl was in good health and hadn't been harmed. Before he found the teen, the man called the police to report that he recognized Al Qahtani because she and another woman had been on a trip in a vehicle he was driving just last Saturday.
After being located, the young girl was referred to a local clinic where she received a medical examination. She was reportedly questioned by police before she was able to reunite with her family.
Investigations into the case continue as local authorities are expected to issue a statement on it in the coming days.