Missing St. Augustine child, nanny found in Jacksonville

A St. Augustine family was reunited on Sunday after a toddler and his caretaker were reported missing.

It was a roller-coaster of emotions for the family of 2-year-old Killian Stapleton after he and his live-in caretaker Lonnie Sheffield were not heard from for 24 hours.

They dropped off Killian’s mom Ashley Stapleton at Jacksonville International Airport on Saturday morning and hadn't been seen or heard from since.

A missing person reported was filed for both and word spread quickly on social media.

Family members were concerned about Sheffield’s health because he undergoes breathing treatments every couple of hours for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Sunday afternoon Ashley Stapleton called and told us her son and Sheffield were safe in Jacksonville.

They'd gone to Sheffield's stepmother’s house. Sheffield's cell phone battery was dead and he couldn’t reach family.

“It was like the breath was taken out of me," said Killian's mother. "I started shaking immediately and all I could say was, 'Lonnie?' He was like ‘yeah.’ My first question was, 'Where are you?'”

Killian’s mother said having him home safe is the best Mother’s Day gift she’s ever received.

“I got to hear his voice and it was the greatest feeling ever,” she said.

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Cox Media Group