Missing 6-year-old with special needs located by K-9

A K-9 assisted police in finding a missing nonverbal 6-year-old child with special needs in the woods of a Delaware state park, according to authorities.

New Castle County Police responded to a call reporting the missing child in Brandywine Creek State Park at 6:48 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27, a New Castle County Police Department press release stated.

Master Corporal Mary DiGati and her K-9 partner, FiasKo, responded to the scene at the child's possible last known location, according to police. FiasKo was given a known scent of the child, which he immediately picked up and tracked deeper into the woods, police said.

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DiGati and FiasKo led the search team to the approximate location of the child, who was found after the team heard a noise in a heavily wooded area of the forest adjacent to a pond, police said.

The child was found at 8:07 p.m. that night, police said.

"I'm incredibly proud of FiasKo," DiGati said in a statement to ABC News. "I trusted his training, stayed focused, and never gave up until he located the child. This is exactly why we train together, and I couldn't be prouder of him."

The child was found muddy, wet and barefoot, but was healthy and was returned safely to his family, according to police.