Missing family found safe after Christmas tree search

Mccarthy kezi nine news.

A family missing since monday in the willamette national forest is safe tonight after a large search and rescue operation ended succdesfully.

The lane county sheriff office confirmed to us, a four-year-old girl and her grandparents were found by search crews this afternoon.

Kezi 9 news reporter jacob roberts joins us live from fall creek to explain how crews found the family's car.

After the family went missing searching for a christmas tree, authorities pinged their cell phones.

They narrowed it down to the fall creek area, but that still left a lot of room.

Then this afternoon, a coast guard helicopter spotted the family car stuck on a forest road.

Greg and sharon poitra left with their grandaughter zelda on monday afternoon to cut down a christmas tree in the mckenzie valley.

But zelda mother jada knew something was wrong when the couple never returned with her daughter.

On tuesday morning, she tried calling her mom and step-father, but never got an answer.

That when police got involved and began mounting a search involving more than 40 people from different law enforcement agencies and the public.

Around noon today, the helicopter spotted someone waving from inside the white car that had a blue tarp over it.

All three were safe and reunited with their loved ones this afternoon.

Officials said it a good reminder to take precautions when heading into the wilderness.

:19 tim chase/ la ne county search and rescue coordinator if youe going to be going back into the woods, having some thing in your car to keep yourself warm in in case you do get stuck.

Some way to signal for help.

Someone to even call for help.

And then another thing we recommend is to leave a good trip plan of where youe going and when you plan to be bac?

The family spent two nights out in the wilderness.

Mother and daughter were reunited shortly after the news broke that the family members had been found.

Zelda mother wasn ready to speak to journalists about the experience.

She referred us to a statement she made on social media saying she is grateful for all those who helped and prayed for her family to come home safe.