Young girl in diaper found wandering Santa Clarita streets alone with small dog

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) -- A young girl is safe after she was found wandering alone around a shopping center in Santa Clarita.

Deputies responded to a call from a teenager who spotted the child walking around 10 p.m. Wednesday near Magic Mountain Parkway and McBean Parkway, according to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station.

"I (saw) this little girl walking down the road by herself and... I was following her to make sure nothing happened to her and I was trying to stop her," said Julius Rivera. "But then she was running from me so I called the cops."

When deputies arrived, they found her wearing only a diaper and shirt. She also had a small dog and backpack with her.

The girl, believed to be around 5 years old, was able to guide deputies back to her home, a nearby apartment complex.

Her mother was detained for questioning, but additional details were not available. The girl was released to her father.