Police sources say the missing 9-year-old boy has autism and is non-verbal
Thursday, August 17, 2023 4:06AM
BROOKLYN, New York (WABC) — A search is underway for a missing 9-year-old boy who was last seen walking towards water near an IKEA in Red Hook, Brooklyn on Wednesday.
Police say the child went missing at 8:58 p.m., just two minutes before the IKEA closed for the day.
The young boy was inside the store with his family and was last seen walking towards the water of the Erie Basin by the store.
Police sources told Eyewitness News that the child has autism and is non-verbal and that a shoe was recovered at the scene near the water.
NYPD Aviation landed in the IKEA parking lot to drop off divers.
After several hours of searching, officers were losing hope, as strong currents forced divers out of the water for a period of time before reentering.
Eyewitness News reporter Josh Einiger was told the child’s second shoe was found in the water during the search.
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