Tuesday, July 16th 2013, 11:03 pm
A Tulsa toddler is back with her mom after the child was found wandering the streets overnight. No one reported the child missing for eight hours.
We were there as little Bella was reunited with her mom Tuesday evening.
Her mom, who asked to not be identified, said she's been worried sick all day, waiting to get her child back, and said a mistake started everything.
Twelve hours after a stranger found little Bella wandering the streets, the 19-month-old is back in her mother's arms.
"It's a breath of fresh air, for sure," she said.
The 25-year-old never knew her daughter was missing and spent all day worrying once she found out.
"'What's going on? What happened last night? How did it happen?' Just waiting to get her back," she said.
A friend called Tuesday morning to tell the mother of three she saw Bella on the morning news and police were trying to find the parents.
"I just cried, I said, "Oh my God, that's my daughter! What do I do?"' she said. "It's like my heart got ripped out."
7/16/2013 Related Story: Tulsa Police: Toddler Found In Street After Babysitting Misunderstanding
The mom said she asked a family friend to meet her at her brother's house to baby sit Bella Monday night. She said the babysitter told her she checked on Bella throughout the night and thought the girl was in bed under a blanket, but it turned out to be a pillow.
Investigators think Bella let herself out of the house at some point.
"I think it was an honest mistake," the mother said. "I've left her over there several times, and she always comes back happy and healthy."
Angela Brown and a neighbor saw Bella alone outside just before midnight and brought her in.
The mom said her brother and the babysitter were still asleep when she called, asking about Bella. She said she's a good mom, who loves her kids and is very protective of who watches them.
When she saw Bella again Tuesday, "I said, 'Look at that smile.' And she just grabbed me and said, 'Hi.'"
And now said she won't trust anyone to watch her for a long time.
Police say the mother is not facing any charges.
We have learned that DHS went to her brother's home in north Tulsa and took his daughter into custody. The family says they haven't been told why.
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