ROANKOKE (WSLS10) - A Roanoke girl is safe after being reported missing on Wednesday night.
Shakhia Pannell, 12, is the third girl to go missing in this week alone. Austyn Hughes and Courtney Moats also left their homes and were safely found.
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Roanoke City police say Shakhia was found shortly after 12 p.m. Thursday and neighbors are glad to know she's safe.
They said she's a well-mannered child who plays with other kids in the neighborhood and that they're shocked she ran away from home.
"The first thing that came to mind was my two little girls and keeping them safe and keeping them from outside the house, usually just kids playing and everything kosher," said Danny Marsh, a neighbor.
Police said they received a missing persons report on Shakhia after detectives said she ran away from home and was last seen around 10 p.m. Wednesday night before she was found.
The Aware Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to finding missing people, said every case, including runaways, is important because it can quickly turn into a criminal investigation. That's why the organization said it's urgent to find missing people.