Missing Boy in WV

BS Digital Q · #1 October 16th, 2007, 08:27 PM

This is a situation I am actually quite personally attached to, as the parents are close friends of ours. Basically, Jacob, or Jay, is extremely autistic to the point where he can't talk (at best he sounds like a baby) and can only comprehend very basic concepts and needs. I noted last time we saw him that he's been improving, but is still very much restricted mentally.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon they [the Allens] went down for hiking (they're a very active, outdoors sort of family) when this happened. According to what I was told via an e-mail from them, Jay ran ahead and basically went off the path before they could catch up, and by the time they had, he was gone. They've found the hat he was wearing and the search dogs have picked up a scent, but as far as I know nothing else has beend discovered.

Here's the news story on it: http://www.atlanticbb.net/news/read....ARSDCCL1_UNEWS

Lets hope he'll be found soon.

Neo-Crucifer · #2 October 16th, 2007, 08:31 PM

Jeez, that sucks. Hope they find him, and that he's alright when they do...

Gorjirus · #3 October 16th, 2007, 09:19 PM

Man, I was already to not care, but you actually know the people...

I hope they find him. I have an autistic cousin, and I know it wuld really suck if he got lost.

Hybrid Gojira · #4 October 16th, 2007, 09:43 PM

Our prayers are with him.

yargh · #5 October 16th, 2007, 10:42 PM

My prayers go out to the missing boy. My family and I sure hope that he is found safely.

Raptor · #6 October 17th, 2007, 02:10 AM

I hope he is found and well, especially considering the time he has been missing, the terrain and especialy the weather.
As active as he (and other autistic people CAN be), a personal safety/locator device might be a good idea, such as firefighters have. There are several systems out there, usually marketed to Alzheimer's patients who can easily become lost/disoriented.

BS Digital Q · #7 October 17th, 2007, 08:22 PM

The AP article has been updated. Also, Brittainy and Michah, Jay's older sister and younger brother, were interviewed on Good Morning America and the Today Show, or so I've been told.

BS Digital Q · #8 October 18th, 2007, 05:08 PM

UPDATE (sorry for double-posting, but this needs bumpage)

They found him! I haven't gotten any details yet, but the searchers have finally found him!

Raptor · #9 October 18th, 2007, 05:55 PM

GREAT NEWS! Just a quick Pittsburgh report but a very happy one!

yargh · #10 October 18th, 2007, 11:22 PM

Thank god! I just read it on Yahoo!

Hybrid Gojira · #11 October 18th, 2007, 11:37 PM

That's awesome!

Praise God indeed!

ghidorahsaurus · #12 October 19th, 2007, 11:35 AM

This is great news. I have not met Jacob but I have played basketball with a few people that attend the same church as him and are great friends ("extended family") with him and his family.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hybrid Gojira

Praise God indeed!

Amen!

ghidorahsaurus · #13 October 19th, 2007, 02:30 PM

http://www.wdtv.com/news/local/10661066.html

Quote:

Jim Reneau and his son, Jeremy Reneau, both of Grafton, were part of the crew that found the missing teen.

Jeremy, who was the first to spot Jacob, said he saw a boy lying down in the middle of an open brush area looking like he was resting.

When Jeremy said Jacob's name, he rolled over and looked at him.

The rescuers gave him food and water and were able to get him to sit up. At that point they started to get him out of the area and back to the command center.

Jacob was taken to Davis Memorial Hospital where officials say he is in good condition, but being held overnight for observation.

http://wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=30224

Quote:

He was found about a mile from the spot his hat was found on Monday. The hat soon became the clue that told volunteers what region to search, U.S. Forest officials said.

Searchers had been working grids from that spot, but it took so long because of rough terrain. He was found in a ravine near some thick brush and the initial rescuer, Jeremy Reneau, said he spotted Allen's blond hair first.

After more than two hours of trying to get him out of the forest, he was taken by Randolph County Ambulance to the hospital for evaluation.

Allen seemed to be fatigued and accepted the food and drinks the search crews provided him, they said.

More than 300 professionals and volunteers formed rescue teams and, along with dogs, had been searching for him since Sunday night.

The US Forest Service, Appalachain Search and Rescue Committee, State Police, National Guard, American Red Cross, Canaan Valley Resort and fire departments from Grant, Randolph and Tucker counties were all a part of the search.

Allen is currently being listed as in stable condition at an area hospital.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3750855&page=1

Quote:

"My son is amazingly doing well," his mother, Karen Allen, said on "Good Morning America" today. "I just spent the night with him in the hospital. He's a little restless, but that's great, because he's eating, drinking and very alert."