Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo credits social media and concerned citizens for spreading the word about a missing mother and son who were found safe Thursday morning. 

He said a message posted to the Buffalo Police Department's social media accounts was shared more than 100,000 times and, shortly after the message went out, tips and phone calls with information started pouring in.

Niagara County Sheriff Jim Voutour confirmed earlier that Rose Mudd and her son, Thomas, were found on Niagara Falls Boulevard near the Niagara Falls airport. 

They were last seen Wednesday afternoon at the Hard Rock Café in Niagara Falls around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

"This woman and her child had made a final communication with her husband, not of a threatening nature, just had missed an appointment," Rinaldo said Thursday afternoon. After she sent a text, Mudd and her son "basically fell off the face of the earth. So when that happens those are suspicious circumstances and that's why we then post it and immediately engage the public's help."

Rose Mudd was taken to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center for an evaluation and Thomas Mudd was returned to his father, Rinaldo said.