Queensland Police say Gold Coast girl, 11, found safe and well after being reported missing

Police have found the 11-year-old Gold Coast girl who was reported missing from Southport safe and well after a desperate search involving an amber alert.

QUEENSLAND Police have located the 11-year-old girl who was reported missing from Southport safe and well.

Police thanked the media and the public for their assistance.

Anyone with further information should phone police on: 131 564.

A screenshot from a video released by Queensland Police in the search for missing Gold Coast girl Laine-Ella Hyland. It was the last confirmed sighting of the 11-year-old at Cronin Ave, Main Beach. An amber alert remains active.

INITIAL: Police have called in the homicide squad as the search for an 11-year-old Gold Coast girl who went missing on August 18 intensifies.

Police said they have not ruled out foul play in the case and are searching for “proof of life”.

Gold Coast Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said officers have “grave concerns” about the welfare of Laine-Ella Hyland.

The southeastern region crime co-ordinator said on Thursday police feared Laine-Ella had been abducted or that a family was actively working to keep her from going home.

Police today released footage of the last known confirmed sighting of Laine-Ella at Cronin Ave, Main Beach on August 18.

Two people seen with her in the video have been urged to contact police.

Police have issued an amber alert to find Laine-Ella, who was also reported to have been seen at a Southport address on Thursday, August 24.

Police are still verifying that supposed sighting.

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Laine-Ella is described as caucasian, around 150cm in height, of slim build with shoulder length blonde hair, and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a grey coloured hoodie and black shorts.

Det Supt Smith said: “We’ve got members of the homicide squad here helping us. We’ve used specialist capabilities such as Polair and more covert strategies.”

“She’s still missing and we still hold grave concerns for her safety,” he said.

“We’re still calling on the public to call with any information, regardless of whether they think it’s important or not.

Police are searching for missing girl Laine-Ella Hyland, 11. Picture: Queensland Police.

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“This footage shows the missing person meeting up with two other young females on the night of the 18th of August. That was the night she actually went missing.

“It would appear from that footage that they’re obviously well known to each other and we want to talk to those two girls because they may assist us with us who she’s with or where she is, or at least her movements over the last fortnight.”

Det Supt Smith said lines of inquiry had been extended to Brisbane and he called on the wider southeast Queensland community to keep an eye out.

“We’ve had some response (from the public), obviously it could be better,” he said.

“Most runaways would be seen by somebody so that’s really heightened my concern, the fact that no one has seen her.

“We’re not out to prosecute anyone – unless of course there’s some foul play. We just want to find her, we just want to bring her home.

“I don’t want people to think she’s just a runaway, that’s not the case.

“We will make sure she doesn’t go anywhere she doesn’t feel comfortable.”

Det Supt Smith said police were “reasonably confident” the sighting on the 24th by “a young male child” did occur.

Anyone who has seen Laine-Ella or has more information should urgently contact police.

>>> Ring 131 564 to provide information about this abduction.

>>> Ring triple-0 for life threatening information about this abduction.