Celebration held for Carlie Trent’s safe return in Tennessee
ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Hundreds of people gathered in Rogersville, May 14, to welcome Carlie Trent, the 9-year-old girl at the center of an Amber Alert, home.
Her dad James said Carlie is overwhelmed by the love and support from the community.
“It means a lot,” James Trent said. “It’s given me a whole new respect for the people around here and this town too.”
The homecoming celebration reunited Carlie with the men who rescued her from her uncle Gary Simpson, who removed Carlie from school under false pretenses, May 4, and disappeared with the child for eight days.
“[Seeing her] took my breath away. She’s most beautiful little girl,” Roger Carpenter said. “I don’t want to get torn up on TV but praise God it’s an emotional feeling and I just want to thank everyone out there.”
James said he will never know how to repay Carlie’s rescuers.
“I just wanted to give them a hug and tell them that I love and appreciate them for everything they’ve done for bringing my girl home,” he said.
Carlie’s rescuers said they do not consider themselves heroes and were only doing what they would hope others would do for their child.
As for Carlie, her dad said she is the same happy little girl she has always been, enjoying activities she’s always loved, like playing outdoors and spending time with her little sister, Katie.
“Oh it’s great. They do quite a bit of arguing but that’s just the way they are,” Trent said. “I know Katie missed Carlie so badly because she didn’t have anyone to argue with but it didn’t take long to get back to normal.”
