AUBURN – A missing 9-year-old autistic girl was found wandering roughly two-and-a-half miles from her home Wednesday.

Auburn police from two shifts and a Lewiston police tracking dog spent more than two hours scouring the city before the girl was found safe on Lake Street.

The girl was first reported missing from her home around 3 p.m., police said. The 9-year-old, who police say has wandered away in the past, was known to have an affinity for Dunkin’ Donuts. She also is known to be attracted to water.

“That’s the scary part,” Auburn’s deputy police Chief Jason Moen said.

Police searched around nearby bodies of water, including the Androscoggin River. When the girl was first reported missing, one group of Auburn police officers was about to end its shift. Moen had them stay on duty to assist the next shift with the search.

Lewiston police Officer Jason Nadeau went to Auburn with his tracking dog and the animal quickly picked up a scent near the girl’s home. The dog was a short distance away when a Lake Street family found the girl wandering near their home at about 5:15 p.m.

She was returned to her family.