7 Year old with Autism Dramatic Creek Rescue Footage Released

Footage released of missing boy's creek rescue

When the Nine News crew spotted Ryan Pham he was naked and shivering as he waded through some reeds on the opposite side of a fast-flowing creek, apparently about to attempt a crossing.

"Ryan, just wait there, mate," cameraman Glenn Edwards called out.

"It's alright buddy, we're getting your mum."

But the autistic seven-year-old boy, who had been missing since the previous night, appeared not to heed the message — so Edwards dived into the muddy creek and swam across to his rescue.

Full footage of the heroics, which unfolded this morning at the Kororoit Creek in the Melbourne suburb of Albanvale, can be seen above.

Edwards and a news crew were driving down a dirt track around 11am (AEST) when they spotted the boy, about 2km from his Springvale home.

"He was so cold he was nearly blue," Mr Edwards said.

More @ http://www.news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8426490/footage-released-of-missing-boys-creek-rescue

FOUND: Ryan Pham - Cameraman rescues missing boy from creek

Cameraman rescues missing boy from creek

Cameraman Glen Edwards saw seven-year-old Ryan Pham standing naked in the shallows of Kororoit Creek and dived in, swimming across the swollen creek to rescue him.

Ryan, who cannot swim, was hanging onto reeds as the current dragged at him.

The Nine Network cameraman and a news reporter had spotted Ryan about 11am (AEDT) on Monday, 16 hours after he was reported missing to police.

The boy's family were concerned for his welfare because he has autism. He has difficulty communicating and becomes frightened easily.

Ryan lives in Springvale but was visiting in Albanvale when he went missing, spending the night out in the cold as a storm hit Melbourne.

More @ http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8426437

Autism Elopement Stats

Chantal Sicile-Kira: Autism Forecast: Mostly Green With a Chance of Red

Some statistics:

• Roughly half, or 48 percent, of children with an ASD attempt to elope from a safe environment, a rate nearly four times higher than their unaffected siblings (National Autism Association, Lethal Outcomes in ASD Wandering, 2012).

• Children with ASD are eight times more likely to elope between the ages of 7 and 10 than their typically-developing siblings (IAN Research Report: Elopement and Wandering, 2011).

• Half of families with elopers report they had never received advice or guidance about elopement from a professional (IAN Research Report: Elopement and Wandering, 2011).