Teen with autism survives six days lost in remote woodlands
Police found the 17-year-old sleeping on a rock near a creek, two kilometers from his campsite, after a search involving over 100 personnel.
By Lucas Sheridan ·
A 17-year-old boy with autism was rescued alive Thursday after spending six days lost in the woodlands of eastern Australia. Police identified the teen only as William, who had gone missing last Friday near Walhalla, a former gold-mining town located 185 kilometers east of Melbourne.
William’s mother, Elizabeth, dropped off her son and a teenage friend for a camping trip. While walking a short distance from the campsite to collect additional gear, William separated from his friend and never returned. Acting Police Inspector Jason Benbow said the teen trekked through steep terrain for days before becoming trapped by the terrain's steepness.
A police helicopter crew located William sleeping on a flat rock beside a creek. The rescuers found him shirtless and sunburned, wearing shorts and boots, and using towels as blankets. Benbow described the moment of contact: the teen woke to the sound of the aircraft, gave the crew a thumbs up, and was winched to safety.
William was reunited with his mother and taken to a hospital for monitoring. Police reported he was in good spirits and mostly in good health. Elizabeth told reporters she was over the moon that he was alive, adding with a joke that he is grounded for life.
The family stated William has Level 2 autism, a condition that requires substantial support according to the Australian advocacy group Autism360. Individuals with this diagnosis often face marked deficits in verbal and non-verbal social communication. They rely heavily on routines and predictable activities, and disruption to those patterns can cause significant distress.
Weather conditions in the alpine region had been mild during the week William was missing, with little rain. The extensive search operation involved more than 100 emergency services personnel and volunteers. William was found two kilometers from the location where his campsite had been established.
The rescue concluded a six-day effort to locate the teen in the wilderness. He was transported to the hospital after the helicopter winch operation, where medical staff began monitoring his condition.
