CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 4-year-old Rock Island girl who was the subject of an Amber Alert earlier this month was never abducted, and was safe at home the entire time, police said.

While hundreds of people – including FBI agents and volunteers throughout the Quad Cities – searched for a missing 4-year-old girl, she was safely in her home, according to Rock Island Police

The Rock Island Police Department announced that 4-year-old Blessing Aoci, who was the subject of an Amber Alert after her mother's car was reported stolen, was

A 4-year-old Rock Island girl who was reported missing after an apparent kidnapping during an auto theft, triggering a statewide Amber Alert, was never missing, police said at a press conference Thursday.

At a Thursday morning press conference, Rock Island Police Chief Tim McCloud said Blessing Aoci was in her home during the search.