A missing toddler has been found alive in Italy after a journalist who was sent to cover his disappearance heard his cries at the bottom of a gorge.
Nicola Tanturli, who is 21 months old, had wandered away in the middle of the night Monday from his home in Palazzuolo sul Senio near Florence, the BBC reported.
Journalists rushed to the scene to cover the intense, around-the-clock search operation — including RAI reporter Giuseppe Di Tommaso, the outlet reported.
Di Tommaso was around two miles from the boy’s home when he heard the child’s whimpers Wednesday.
“I started to yell, ‘Nicola,’ to understand if it could be the child. I heard ‘Mamma,’ ” he said.
Di Tommaso spotted the missing boy at the bottom of the ravine and flagged down Carabinieri police commander Danilo Ciccarelli, who lowered himself down to investigate, the BBC reported.
“I heard clearer cries and expected an animal to come out,” Ciccarelli told a news conference. “Instead, Nicola came out with his head in the high grass and said ‘Mamma.’ It was a beautiful feeling.”
The toddler was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, local media reported.
“It was a tremendous joy to bring him back to his mother’s arms,” Ciccarelli said.