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Dramatic video shows the moment police rescued 4-year-old Cleo Smith: 'I don't think there was a dry eye in the house'
Image Source: CNN YouTube video screenshot composite

Dramatic video shows the moment police rescued 4-year-old Cleo Smith: 'I don't think there was a dry eye in the house'

Australian police released dramatic video of the moments after they found 4-year-old Cleo Smith, who had been kidnapped 18 days previously from her parents.

Police had mounted a massive nationwide search party for the girl after her parents reported her missing from their camping trip.

On Wednesday a tip led police to a home just a few miles away from the Smiths' house in the city of Carnarvon. Four officers broke down the front door and found little Cleo inside a room at about 1 a.m.

Video from the Western Australia Police showed Cleo clutching at a police officer after the rescue.

Audio they released also captured the dramatic moment she told police her name.

"We've got her, we've got her," said one voice on the recording.

"Hey bubby, hey bubby," say another voice. "You're all right."

"What's your name, sweetheart?" says one voice.

"My name is Cleo," she replies.

In an interview later with Australian TV show Sunrise, Western Australia's deputy police commissioner Col Branch said it was a very emotional moment.

"When she said, 'My name is Cleo,' I don't think there was a dry eye in the house."

Here's the audio of the rescue:

He went on to say that he saw seasoned detectives "openly crying with relief."

The government had offered a million Australian dollars as a reward to anyone with information that led to Cleo's return. They said she was physically unharmed and reunited with her parents.

They arrested a 36-year-old man who is unrelated to the family in connection with the case. The home where they found her was many miles away from the campsite where she was abducted. The man was charged with numerous counts including "forcibly taking a child under 16."

According to Australian news outlets, he was hospitalized with self-inflicted injuries.

Here's the video of the rescue:

"This is the outcome we all hoped and prayed for," said Branch in a statement. "It's the outcome we've achieved because of some incredible police work.

On social media, Cleo's mother wrote, "Our family is whole again."

Here's the video from Western Australia Police:

4-year-old Cleo Smith found alive after vanishing for 18 dayswww.youtube.com

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Carlos Garcia

Carlos Garcia

Staff Writer

Carlos Garcia is a staff writer for Blaze News.