Reporter covering missing child case finds boy himself

Grandmother via WFTS: "Oh, baby. Oh, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus."

That was the emotional reunion between 10-year-old Paul Fagan and his grandmother after the boy disappeared for nearly 14 hours.

WFLA reports that Paul's grandmother, who has custody of the Florida boy, told police she last saw him around 4 p.m. Thursday. She reported him missing four hours later after neighbors searched the area to no avail.

WFOX reports: Police searched both by air and by foot.

It was then that local reporters caught wind of the story and went to the scene to talk to authorities. As it turned out, if it weren't for one reporter from WFTS, this story could have had a very different ending.

This is reporter Cameron Polom explaining to police how he saw Paul come out of the bushes in a neighbor's yard. "I could tell he was wondering: 'Am I in trouble? What should I do right now?' I asked him, 'Can you come to me?' And he came closer, and I asked him, 'What's your name?' and he said Paul. And I said 'Have you been missing?'"

HLN reports: Paul Fagan said he ran away because he just needed space from his little brother. He told officials in Tampa that he spent the night in his neighbors' yard.

Police say they searched that area during the night but didn't see Paul. Just a few hours after Paul was found, WFTS also caught the reunion with his father on tape.

"It's like a wonderful joy, like your son first being born," the father said.

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