**CHICAGO** — The Chicago Police Department has issued an urgent plea for public assistance in identifying a young girl who was discovered alone late Friday in the Roseland neighborhood.
Officers responded to the scene near the intersection of East 118th Street and South Prairie Avenue following reports of a child found wandering by herself in an alleyway. According to the initial report logged via the Citizen app, the child appeared to be on her own and was unable to provide authorities with information regarding her identity or the location of her guardians.
The girl, who appears to be of elementary school age, was found in good health but visibly distressed by the situation. She was taken into protective custody by responding officers and transported to a local precinct to ensure her safety while detectives work to identify her and locate her family.
"We are treating this with the highest level of urgency," said a spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department. "Our primary goal is to reunite this child with her loved ones as quickly as possible. We are asking anyone who lives in or frequents the 118th and Prairie area to check their security cameras or doorbell footage for any sign of a child walking alone earlier this evening."
Investigators are currently canvassing the neighborhood, speaking with residents, and checking local missing persons reports. As of late Friday night, no reports matching the child's description had been filed in the immediate vicinity.
The Chicago Police Department is urging anyone who may recognize the child or has information pertaining to her identity to contact the Area 2 Special Victims Unit immediately at 312-747-8271 or to dial 911.
Updates will be provided as the situation develops.
