Oakland County Mounts Massive Search for Autistic Boy, 12

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP, MI – A 12-year-old boy with autism who was the subject of an intense aerial and ground search Monday was returned unharmed to his Oakland Township family after he left them a note saying he was going on “vacation” and would be home in a couple of days.

In a statement, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said the boy was last seen about 3 p.m. Monday as he wheeled away from his home in the 5000 block of Rochester Road on a bicycle. His mother, who found the note, told police the boy had talked about camping alone in the woods and enjoys going to Bear Creek Park in Oakland Township.

The boy’s parents checked places he might have gone and spoke to his friends before alerting authorities.

Deputies, members of the Oakland Township Fire Department, and the sheriff’s office’s K-9 and aviation units conducted a thorough search of Bear Creek Park, but didn’t find the boy.

During the search, he called his family and said he was a 7-Eleven store at 26 Mile and Mound in Shelby Township, about 7 miles from his home. The sheriff’s office said he was attempting to visit his grandparents, who live in Washington Township, but are spending the winter in Florida.