When a Pyes Pa mother realised her 5-year-old daughter was missing she knew she did not have a second to waste.
Rosie-Jo suffers from autism and is a fearless free spirit - not afraid of the dark or the bush-clad rural countryside she wandered into alone on Saturday evening.
She also does not speak.
Rosie-Jo's parents Lis and Kent Eynon know their daughter will take any opportunity to escape into the wilderness.
"If she sees an opportunity, she'll go for it," Mrs Eynon said.
While visiting a neighbour on Saturday evening Rosie-Jo seized that opportunity about 6.20pm and was found nearly four hours later, cold, hungry and naked - having stripped off her tights and T-shirt along the way.
"She's very at-one with nature, we call her 'Little Miss Free Spirit'," Mrs Eynon said. "You really need eyes in the back of your head 24/7."
She told searchers her daughter was very capable and mobile, a good climber and fearless - not afraid of water, heights or the dark.
It was also likely she would stand still rather than make any noise in response to their calls.
"I was really worried when they were searching that they could just go straight past her and she wouldn't call out."
The search for Rosie-Jo involved Land Search and Rescue, Youth Search and Rescue and police officers.
In no time a farm shed on the property with a dirt floor had become the search base with lights, maps and three teams of searchers on three different radio frequencies.
"I can't really say enough about the search and rescue guys, it's a very impressive operation," Mrs Eynon said.
Local volunteers joined in as well, offering support to the frantic family.
"Everyone was just there, doing what they could," Mrs Eynon said.
"It was really scary because the sun was going down and I knew she was not dressed appropriately."
The sound of the BayTrust Rescue Helicopter, which joined the search about 8.30pm, was a reassuring one for the frantic mum.
Rosie-Jo was found in rural, rugged terrain by the rescue helicopter about 1.5km from the farm house she left.
"She was really happy to be reunited with her mum.
"She was smiling," Mrs Eynon said.
The couple, who also have a 3-year-old son, have locks on their windows and doors and the property is fully-fenced to try to keep Rosie-Jo safe.
On Saturday evening Mrs Eynon was with her daughter at a neighbour's house when Rosie-Jo made her escape - twice.
The first time Mrs Eynon found her quickly. But the second time she began frantically searching the house, vehicles and the last place she had found her, unaware her daughter was now headed in the opposite direction.
On her earliest trips to the beach Mrs Eynon said Rosie-Jo would make a beeline for the water and just keep walking.
"I just stood there and watched her and she would keep going and not look back."
Yesterday things were returning to normal at the Eynon household and Mrs Eynon said Rosie-Jo was, "already back to her happy self".
"I was supposed to go to Whangamata (on Sunday) and I just stayed home and cuddled my daughter all day," she said.
Mum's praise for girl's rescuers
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