Shannon Matthews, a 9 years old girl who disappeared more than three weeks ago was found on Friday local time hidden under a bed in a man’s house about a mile from her home in northern England. Shannon Matthews disappeared on her way home from school on February 19 & became the subject of an intense nationwide investigation.

Police burst through the doors of the row house in Dewsbury, about 200 miles north of London & discovered the girl concealed in a pullout drawer in the base of a bed. An official of police said that a 39 years old man has been arrested on suspicion of abduction. Police searched nearly 3,000 homes & businesses during the hunt for the girl.

The official said that the Shannon would not be returned to her family immediately. Authorities are keeping her under emergency care until they can figure out what happened since she disappeared.