Italian journalist reporting on missing toddler finds the boy
A missing Italian toddler wasn't found by one of the 1,000 police officers, alpine rescuers, firefighters, and volunteers searching for him — he was discovered by a journalist sent to report on the case.
The 21-month-old boy was last seen by his parents on Monday night, and on Wednesday, reporter Giuseppe di Tommaso with the Italian state broadcaster Rai went to interview them. They live in an isolated area of Palazzuolo sul Senio, near Florence, and Di Tommaso had to walk up a long dirt road to get to their house. Along the way, Di Tommaso heard a strange noise coming from a ravine, and called out.
He heard a child reply "Mamma," and could see through the brush that there was a small boy in the ravine. Di Tommaso flagged down a police car for help, and a commander went down to investigate. It was the missing boy, with a few scratches and a bump on his head. The commander said during a press conference that it was "a tremendous joy to bring him back to his mother's arms." The boy was found a little over a mile from his home, and police believe he woke up on Monday in the middle of the night and let himself out of the house.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The best new music of 2024 by genre
The Week Recommends Outstanding albums, from pop to electro and classical
By The Week UK Published
-
Nine best TV shows of 2024 to binge this Christmas
The Week Recommends From Baby Reindeer and Slow Horses to Rivals and Shogun, here are the critics' favourites
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: December 28, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published