I didn't and don't find your post pointless at all.
Something traumatic happened to you today and you turned to us for support.
I know exactly how your sister felt as the same thing happened to me when my son was 5. I went to put his baby brother down for a nap and told him to stay in the back yard. I wasn't gone more than 5 minutes and poof he was gone. He did the same thing, decided to go to a friends house. It is very scary.
I am so glad that your niece landed up safe and sound.
It is such a relieve when you find them. Mind you, like me, you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. When you do find them, you just want the hug them to death and the next moment you want to strangle them for scaring the daylights out of you.
I hope this brought some comfort to you, by sharing this experience with us.
Give your niece an extra hug today.