BRIAR CREEK -- The family of the little girl who was the focus of a statewide Amber Alert Sunday night says it was all just an honest mistake.
Family members of a little girl who went missing said her mom just went inside to drop off groceries and came out to find her car and daughter gone. She feared there had been an abduction, but that wasn't the case.
That Amber Alert fueled a statewide search that ended up right in the child's backyard.
The yellow convertible state troopers were looking for was found nearly 100 yards away from the family's home.
Alexis Weber is home now. Sunday night, hundreds were searching for the 2-year-old girl.
Troopers issued an Amber Alert after the toddler's mother phoned police from a nearby gas station, saying her yellow convertible went missing with Alexis in the back seat.
"We were all ready to go. There was no hesitation on any part," said Berwick Fire Chief Randy Remphrey.
Word of the 2 year old's disappearance spread fast. The toddler's picture and different theories over her disappearance were plastered all over social media, and most of them were wrong.
"She said that she was at Sheetz and she went in to go pay for gas and somebody took the car and the little girl was in the back," said neighbor Margot Veth. "The biggest thing about Facebook is what was being put on wasn't true."
Family members tell Newswatch 16 the convertible was parked outside the family's home and the mother went in to drop off groceries. When she came back out, the car was gone.
Troopers say Alexis' mother didn't put the car in park. It rolled down the hill and ended up in a field. That's where troopers found the little girl.
Her family says Alexis' mom came out of the house and saw the car missing. Knowing her phone and daughter were inside, she immediately feared it was an abduction. She quickly ran to call 911.
"My landlady called me and told me they were looking for the girl in the car, and they were looking for the guy that took the car and that's what all the helicopters were for. So what do I think about this? I think it's all crazy," said Veth.
Berwick Fire Chief Randy Remphrey and nearly 150 other firefighters and first responders were out searching. Tracking the mom's cell phone led to some early confusion, but then led to the right area.
It took hours until the car and the girl were found in a dark area behind the house.
Troopers say Alexis was taken to the hospital and is OK.
We spoke with the family on Monday. They say they're getting a lot of negative comments but say this was just a mistake. They say they were so grateful for the support from state police but also from those who shared the Amber Alert online.