Autistic boy found alive after six days missing in Australian forests
Australian police found William, an autistic boy, alive after he had been missing for six days in eastern Australian forests.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
Authorities on Thursday found a 17-year-old boy with autism alive after he had been missing for six days in forested areas of eastern Australia.
Police said the boy, identified only by his first name, William, had begun a camping trip with a teenage friend when he disappeared last Friday near Walhalla, a former gold-mining town located 185 kilometers east of Melbourne.
He was found by a police helicopter crew lying in the bed of a dry creek in a remote wilderness area and was later reunited with his mother. A police statement said William was in good spirits and in largely good health.
His mother, Elizabeth, told reporters, “I am extremely happy that he is still alive.” The Associated Press decided not to disclose the family name to avoid identifying her son.
Elizabeth had dropped off her son and his friend last Friday to spend the weekend camping. Police said William had walked a short distance from the campsite to the spot where his mother had dropped them off, to retrieve additional camping equipment, but did not return to his friend.
Emergency service teams and volunteers participated in the extensive search operations conducted by police to locate him.
