A non-verbal autistic child was rescued after entering a large lake at Martin Luther King Jr. Park by Jackson Road in Silver Spring Wednesday.
Montgomery County Police, along with lifeguards from the Martin Luther King Jr. Swim Center, responded after receiving a 911 call.
“Excellent job and quick thinking by responding officers and many thanks to the lifeguards who ran down to help the officers,” Montgomery County Police Captain Jason Cokinos, the department’s 3rd District Commander, posted on social media.
A similar incident in July at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg resulted in the death of 6-year-old Fawzan Hassan.
Numerous police and rescue personnel as well as community members and other volunteers combed the area for almost 27 hours seeking the young boy, who also was autistic and nonverbal. He was reported missing while at the park.
During a recent three week period, Montgomery County police officers have located more than 30 people with autism who had wandered away. Officer Laurie Reyes is the county’s coordinator of the MCPD Autism, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Alzheimer/Dementia unit. Reyes stresses that caregivers should not hesitate to call police if their charge is missing, saying, “We know this can happen to the best caregivers. The caregivers need to know we are not judgmental.”
Related:
Police Receive 5-8 Reports Weekly About Missing People With Disabilities
🚨Young autistic child rescued from lake🚨
Earlier today an @mcpnews 3rd District officer, along with an MLK park lifeguard from a nearby pool, entered the large lake at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
A non-verbal autistic child entered the water prompting a 911 call. Officers… pic.twitter.com/uzQXihtwn6
— MCPD 3D Commander (@MCPD3DCommander) August 8, 2024
