SANTA MARIA, Calif- A game of hide-and-seek turned into a nightmare for a Santa Maria family. The mother of 4-year-old Janell, Dannielle, says, "we were in and out of the house between the garage and the house and at one point somebody came out and said where's Jenelle." That's when this night took a turn for the Jarneski family
Dannielle, "I..I was just kind of in a zone, I couldn't believe that it was happening ." That's when neighbors from all over the area opened their doors to lend a hand to the Jarneski family. Neighbors and police searched the area and at one point the family received frightening news.
Janell's father Bryan says, "somebody said they saw a body by the bridge and that just broke my heart, and the police and everybody from here just ran, when I got there I didn't even want to look because if it was my daughter I didn't even want to see that."
Fortunately it was only something that looked like a body and the search went on. Bryan says, "what was running through my mind was what is she feeling, what is she thinking and every time I though that I would run harder ."
Finally after over three hours of searching 4-year-old Janell walked through the doors. Dannielle, "I felt like I couldn't breath, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders yet I didn't know how to react." Her sister Brianna says, "everybody was helping us, and I was glad because they helped me find my little sister." And her father Bryan joking says, "I kept telling everyone last night I'm going to tie a string around my ankle and her ankle and its going to only be a foot long and just enough for her to walk."
Today the family has more than relief they have the feeling of having 4-year-old Janell back in their arms.
