Montgomery County police rescue boy with autism from pond

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Police are reminding residents about the importance of calling 911 right away after they rescued a boy with autism from a pond in Montgomery County.

The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) said on Wednesday, at around 5:40 p.m., officers were in the 19800 block of Century Blvd. when someone flagged them down. The person said their six-year-old son, who has autism, wandered off.

MCPD stated that the person reported their son had been missing for 45 minutes and had no idea which direction the boy had taken.

More officers responded to assist with the search, and someone reported seeing a child near a pond behind a nearby library.

An officer ran to the pond and saw the boy playing in the water.

That officer went into the pond and carried the child out to safety. The child was evaluated, but it was determined that he had not gotten hurt.

MCPD said it was later discovered that the child did not know how to swim but fortunately, the pond’s water level was lower than normal during the time of the incident.

“This could have ended very differently,” MCPD officer Laurie Reyes with the Autism/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Unit, said in a news release. “We can’t say this enough — when someone with autism or another developmental disability goes missing, call 9-1-1 right away. Every minute matters.”

Reyes said when these incidents happen, many caregivers wait before they call for help.

“This can happen to anyone. Even the most dedicated parents. We know they’re doing the best they can, but it’s so important to make that call as soon as possible,” Reyes said.

MCPD said children with autism are drawn to water, and to prevent wandering, the department offers free safety kits for families.

These kits have window decals, a shirt, and other tools to keep them safe.