Joppa Girl Runs Away To Avoid First Day of School

A 12-year-old girl who ran away from home to avoid the first day of school was found early Wednesday in . She walked more than five miles west along U.S. Route 40 from her home, according to a police spokeswoman.

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, spokeswoman for the , said the girl goes to a public school. She was “in good health and unharmed” when a business owner found her sitting on the sidewalk behind his building in the 11000 block of Pulaski Highway around 5 a.m. 

, along with a Baltimore County police helicopter and a Maryland State Police K9 unit, scoured areas near the girl’s home from 8 a.m. to about 10 a.m. That's when a Baltimore County police precinct reported having someone in custody matching the missing girl's description.

She was held by Baltimore County police until being returned to her mother around 10:45 a.m. The girl’s mother noticed she was missing around 6:45 a.m. and after searching the home, called police about an hour later, Worrell said.

The first classes of the 2011–2012 academic year began Wednesday for  after and from  delayed  for  days.

The girl lives with her biological parents and there were no signs of a domestic dispute, Worrell said.