The massive weekend search for 2-year-old Rainn Peterson who went missing in North Bloomfield on Friday ended successfully Sunday when she was found alive near Peck Leach Road just a quarter of a mile from her great-grandparents’ home.

The toddler, who was found after 6:30 p.m. in a field, was immediately transported by ambulance to St. Joseph Warren Hospital.

Her mother, Brandi Peterson, who was at the hospital with her daughter Sunday night, declined to comment but indicated she would be available today to discuss the toddler’s condition.

Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas Altiere said late Sunday Bristol resident Victor Sutton found Peterson cold and wet in the field of a wooded area. Altiere said Sutton had spent hours on Saturday and Sunday looking for the toddler.

Major Thomas Stewart of the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office said Peterson appeared to be unharmed.

The search drew hundreds of volunteers, including numerous hunters familiar with the terrain, who helped the sheriff’s office and other law enforcement agencies search.

The effort was nearing a close for the day when Peterson was found.

Renee and Roy Hendrickson of Bristol were among the many who looked for her throughout the afternoon.

”We were in the field and wooded area across the street from the grandparents’ home on Route 45 looking,” Renee Hendrickson said.

She said it was getting dark, and search teams were ending the day’s effort when she received word that the girl had been found.

”It was wonderful news. She had been missing for two days,” she said, noting Peck Leach Road is south of the relative’s home near Bristol.

The search began after 6 p.m. Friday when Peterson’s great-grandparents reported her missing from their home at 7759 state Route 45 in North Bloomfield.

Altiere said that every means was used to find the girl with numerous law enforcement officials, community volunteers, search dogs, mounted patrol on horses, helicopters and infrared thermal imaging cameras.

Altiere said he was “more than overwhelmed” with the number of citizen volunteers who showed up.

”We never thought we would get this much turnout,” he said.

Earlier Sunday, between 150 and 200 residents gathered at the Bristol Fire Department to sign in and provide their addresses and social security numbers. Background checks were done on each volunteer. Teams of 15 to 20 people were transported by van or truck to various locations to search for Peterson.

Trumbull County 911 Director Ernest Cook III said sheriff’s deputies led the search teams and instructed the volunteers to look under rocks, under thick debris and brush, in underground areas and to check for anything unusual such as children’s clothing.

”Look for anything that will be of interest. Today is critical,” Cook said.

The teams searched a two-mile radius from the great-grandparents’ home, checking fields, brush and wooded areas.

Cook said the Trumbull County Engineer’s Office spent Sunday using camera checking culverts, ponds and water and sewer drains

Hendrickson said her husband, Ray, and many of the other volunteers are hunters and familiar with the terrain and the wooded areas in Bloomfield and Bristol.

”When we heard there was a child lost we wanted to help. If you are a parent you have to help. When I heard they were calling for volunteers I told my husband we need to go,” Hendrickson said.

Emma Kanning, a senior at Hubbard High School, said when she heard there was a need for volunteers she didn’t hesitate to drive across the county to Bristol.

”When I heard they needed people, I didn’t think twice of helping,” she said.

Mark Holmes of Niles said he was moved to drive to Bristol to help.

”I have grandchildren. I thought if one of them was missing I would want people to come and help,” Holmes said.

Champion residents Fran and Wayne Bell arrived at 10 a.m. and waited at the fire station over three hours to be assigned to a team to search.

”We wanted to do what we could to help when we heard the little girl was still missing. You think there is a little one out there alone with no coat,” Fran Bell said.

Wayne Bell said he couldn’t imagine a small child being out in the cold and rain all weekend.

A command station was set up south of the Peterson’s home at the Bristol Township hall where the sheriff’s department and other law enforcement agencies, including Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Trumbull Ashtabula Geauga Law Enforcement Task Force, Trumbull County Homicide Task Force, and numerous fire departments, searched various areas.

Officials said they had interviewed family and others after Peterson went missing. They said Sunday the investigation is ongoing.