How was the fate of a girl who, at the age of 4, got lost in the taiga and spent 12 days there

If not for her dog, this story could have ended differently.

Karina Chikitova from Yakutia got lost in the forest with her puppy when she was only four years old. The brave girl spent 12 days in the taiga. At this time, rescuers and volunteer teams were looking for the girl. The hope that the baby is still alive decreased with each passing day. Karina was rescued by a puppy.

Karina and her mother lived in Olekminsk, 600 km from Yakutsk. The girl’s grandmother lived in the small village of Olem and Karina often came to visit her. So it was this time.


Mother and grandmother went to mow the grass, and Karina was left in the care of her father, who was visiting his daughter that day. In the evening the women returned home, but Karina was nowhere to be seen. Everyone thought that the father took the girl and did not raise a fuss. They could not call him because there was no mobile connection in the village.

Three days later, when Karina’s father wanted to visit his daughter again, the alarm was raised. The police, cynologists and rescuers were sent to search for her.

About 100 people searched around the clock throughout the taiga. There are a lot of mosquitoes, grass, hot and humid. But adults were not stopped only by the fact that a child is somewhere in the same conditions. During the search, rescuers even met a bear. In total, about 30 sq. km were checked.

On the ninth day after the disappearance of Karina, a real miracle happened. The same dog that disappeared with the baby ran into the village. Naida was hungry and wet, and it was obvious that she had been wandering around the taiga for the past few days. Rescuers sent a sniffer dog to search, and three days later the girl was found. The girl’s body was covered in blood from numerous bites, her shoes were gone, and her face took on a frightened expression. Karina said that this dog saved her and helped her when she was scared. They slept together and were warm. Food was the only shortage, but this, on the contrary, saved the girl. Who knows what would have happened if the dog had not been hungry. In 12 days, Karina lost a third of her body weight.

A monument was erected to her, and she was sent to a ballet school.

As a result, Karina got the opportunity to study at the Yakutsk Choreographic College. Without any special training, she passed her professional casting. Her mother returned to Olekminsk, while Karina remained in Yakutsk to continue her education.