A Champaign County sheriff's deputy says the sound made by a missing 6-month-old baby when she was found in rural eastern Illinois soybean field was like "a kitten meow."
Deputy Chad Beasley was searching after dark in a rain-soaked field.
He and other searchers saw fresh coyote tracks, so they were fearful of what they might find.
He says when he spotted the baby "she started immediately crying" which was a good sign.
Beasley says she was lying face down in the mud, but was able to lift her head.
Authorities say the girl was found early Friday after being missing more than 15 hours.
They say she was taken from her home by her father after an argument with the girl's mother.
23-year-old Thomas A Boitnott of St. Joseph was arrested last Thursday for kidnapping, attempted murder and motor vehicle theft.