Autistic Teen, 17, Found Alive After Six Days Lost in Australian Woods
A 17-year-old boy with autism, identified by police only as William, was found alive after six days lost in woodlands near Walhalla, Victoria. A police helicopter crew spotted him asleep on a rock beside a creek, and he was reunited with his mother.
A 17-year-old boy with autism was found alive after six days lost in woodlands in eastern Australia, police said. In a missing teen found alive outcome that ended a search of more than 100 people, the boy was spotted asleep on a rock beside a creek near Walhalla.
Police identified him only as William. He had begun camping with a teenage friend when he disappeared near Walhalla, a former gold-mining town 185 kilometers (115 miles) east of Melbourne.
A police helicopter crew found him lying on a flat rock, surrounded by wilderness. He was later reunited with his mother. Police said he was in good spirits and mostly in good health.
Winched to safety
Video shot from the helicopter showed William shirtless and sunburned. He wore shorts and boots and was using towels as blankets.
Acting Police Inspector Jason Benbow described the moment of rescue. “He woke up to the sound of the helicopter, gave them a thumbs up and they winched him to safety,” Benbow told reporters.
William was taken to a hospital so his health could be monitored, police said.
How he got lost
His mother, Elizabeth, had dropped him and his friend off for a weekend of camping. William walked a short distance from the campsite to the drop-off point to collect more equipment. He never returned to his friend, police said.
After losing his way, he trekked for days up and down “some very steep terrain,” Benbow said. He spent the last two days at the creek where he was found, trapped by the steepness of the land around him. That spot was 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from his campsite.
Spring weather in the alpine region had been mild for the past week, with little rain.
Autism and the search
William’s family have said he has Level 2 autism. The Australian advocacy group Autism360 says that level requires “substantial support.” People at that level may have marked difficulties with verbal and non-verbal social communication and rely heavily on routines. Disruption can cause significant distress.
The search involved more than 100 emergency services personnel and volunteers.
His mother, who is identified by first name only to protect her son’s identity, spoke to reporters after the reunion. “I’m just over the moon that he’s alive,” she said.
Then she joked about what comes next. “And he’s never leaving the house again. He’s grounded for life. He’s not going anywhere ever again.”
