Missing with Autism: Adam Benhamama, Now Recovery Operation

"Police say the operation is now a recovery one."

MONTREAL - A close family friend of a 3-year-old boy missing since Sunday in Laval said Wednesday the child was only diagnosed with autism about a month ago and he was not completely deaf and mute, as media reports have said.

Chaker Chraibi said Adam Benhamama could utter some words and he was not completely deaf. His 4th birthday is June 22, he noted.

Speaking to reporters on the third day of an intense police search for Benhamama, now focussed mainly on the Mille Îles River, Chraibi said the boy's disapperance was a tragedy and a harsh reminder of how crucial it is to constantly supervise children. Benhamama went missing while he was playing hide and seek with his 7-year-old sister about 1 p.m. on Sunday.

"It's a terrible lesson for everybody to learn," Chraibi said, "but it can happen to anybody."

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/missing+Laval+hear+speak/4551907/story.html#ixzz1IldkS5Gg