The Alabama girl reported kidnapped from outside a Walker County home was found inside her father’s SUV deep in the kudzu across the street from where the vehicle was reported stolen.

Police on Tuesday said it was likely the SUV was not stolen, nor was the child abducted.

Harlow Darby Freeman, 9 months old, was found just before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday by law enforcement officers conducting their fourth search of that area.

“Daylight was our friend on this one,’’ said Parrish police Chief Danny Woodard.

Harlow was in good condition, and family said she has been taken to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham to be checked out.

Woodard said the investigation is ongoing, but they now believe that the SUV was likely not stolen.

It’s possible, he said, that the vehicle was not put into park and rolled hundreds of yards down a large embankment and into the thick kudzu. Or, he said, somebody else could have done it.

“We’re just not sure yet,’’ he said.

Just before 7 p.m. Monday, Parrish police were called to 311 Crest Avenue, where Harlow’s father reported the girl was in her car seat in the back seat of his SUV when he ran into a friend’s house.

A minute later, family said, the SUV was stolen with Harlow still inside.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issued an Amber Alert at 9:40 p.m.

Harlow’s mother, Bethany Smith, posted on Facebook that her daughter was in her car seat in the back of an SUV when it was stolen. That vehicle is a white 2009 Lexus RX350 with tag number 3880AR8. The vehicle has damage on the rear passenger side and appears to be taped with clear tape.

“I’m begging you to please bring my baby to me,’’ Smith wrote. “You can drop the baby off wherever you want, just call me or message me and let me know where she is. No questions asked, I swear.”

The family had offered a $5,000 reward, said Harlow’s aunt, Melinda Hutchison.

Woodard police officers and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigators searched that area three times overnight. It was during the fourth search, with law enforcement officers on foot and the state helicopter in the air, that the SUV was spotted.

The area where Harlow was found was about 100 yards from the Crest Avenue house where her father was visiting.

“They saw what they believed to be the bumper in the kudzu,’’ Woodard said. “They were able to get other people down in the woods looking and found it.”

Woodard said they will now go back and interview everybody and then consult with the Walker County District Attorney’s Office to determine if any charges could be filed. “It’s probably too early to say that,’’ he said.

He said it’s been a long night.

“This is not something that happens in a small town like Parrish,’’ Woodard said. “This is a strange turn of events. Luckily, the child was found safe and we’re going to continue to investigate.”