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A missing teen is found alive after 6 days in the Australian woodlands
Police said the 17-year-old with autism was found in good health after an aerial search and was reunited with his mother.
On Thursday, Victoria Police Air Wing officers located 17-year-old William alive in bushland near Stoney Creek after a six-day search. The teenager, missing since November 6, was winched to safety and reunited with his mother.
William disappeared Friday, November 6, after walking a short distance from his campsite near Walhalla to retrieve equipment. Police believe the teenager, who has Level 2 autism requiring 'substantial' support, became disoriented in the dense terrain.
Rescuers spotted William's tackle box from the air, guiding them to a dry creek bed where he had remained after falling down a cliff. His mother, Elizabeth Barkley, reported he was in 'good health and good spirits' with 'only a few scratches'.
Following the rescue, authorities transported the teenager to a hospital for monitoring. Barkley noted her son remained in the same spot, unable to move, until help arrived, saying, 'I'm just over the moon he's alive.'
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded overnight temperatures as low as 3C during the six-day ordeal, underscoring the environmental severity. Individuals with Level 2 autism often require specialized safety protocols when navigating rugged environments, experts note.
William, a 17-year-old, autistic, had gone camping on Friday, November 6, with a friend in Victoria, Australia. He disappeared on the very day of his stay, he was finally found this Thursday by the police thanks to... a fishing box! (Police, justice and other facts).
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