KEY POINTS:
An intellectually disabled girl missing for 14 hours until found in bush in Whangarei spent Christmas Day in hospital.
Tabitha Mason, 9, who has the intellectual age of a 6-year-old, spent Wednesday night on Frank Holliman track in the suburb of Woodhill, wearing just a pink T-shirt and dress. She had no shoes.
Tabitha left her home in Collingwood St, Raumanga, about 8pm on Christmas Eve. She was found about 10.30am yesterday by a Department of Conservation worker on a Christmas morning walk with his family.
Sergeant Neil Pennington from Whangarei Search and Rescue said police officers, due to call off the search at 2am yesterday, kept going until 5am.
A new team including two members of the previous shift returned at 7am and resumed the hunt.
Tabitha was found, cold and hungry, about 20 minutes down the track, which starts at the end of the Kauika Rd cul-de-sac, about 2km from her home.
She was yesterday being assessed by medical staff at Whangarei Hospital. Mr Pennington said her parents, who have two older children, were relieved to be reunited with their daughter.
