By Kevin Coughlin
An overnight search involving helicopters, law enforcement from several agencies, and firefighters, located an autistic 14-year-old from Morristown who was reported missing by his parents, according to authorities.
The teen was found safe, within a mile of his home, around 12:30 am on Tuesday, confirmed Morristown Police Chief Pete Demnitz.
Residents reported hearing a chopper hovering above the Windmill Pond area at 11:30 pm on Monday.
The search was a “coordinated effort,” Demnitz said, involving police from Morristown and Morris Township, firefighters from both municipalities, the State Police, the Morris County Prosecutor- and Sheriff’s offices, and the county Park Police.
Around midnight police could be seen shining flashlights on ponds and bushes of the office complex between Southgate Parkway and South Street, where Atlantic Health has offices.
Fire trucks illuminated a wooded area, and Sand Hill Road appeared to have enough law enforcement vehicles and fire trucks for a presidential visit.
The helicopter was from the State Police, according to Chief Demnitz.
Correspondent Berit Ollestad contributed to this report.
Please pardon the oversight, and thanks for the reminder. Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing the Minute Men. Were there others?
I guess you don’t bother to get all your facts right again , you seem to forget the EMS squads that helped out also from out of town . again EMS is the lost child and never gets credit when they should. but you will be the first one to cry about EMS when you need it. Were happy the kid was Found safe !!! but your web page needs to get all the facts once in a while of who helped out. Especially all the people that don’t get paid to do EMS and Volunteer also same for those that do for the FD’s also. this is almost as bad as reading the daily record.
It’s frustrating to hear this child described as autistic because that is not a fact. Ultimately, it is wonderful to know he was found. I’m grateful for all of the resources used to locate him. Thank you.
Not at all; it was just a massive turnout. Happily, it ended well.
Very happy that this teen was found. We can only imagine the fear of any family of a child who has run away, autistic or not. I find the comment about how many vehicles were present very strange. Is the writer suggesting that resources were wasted for a non-VIP?
As a father of an autistic son who would wander if given the chance. I am very happy to see a happy outcome while I don’t know this family in particular thank you to the fire department and law enforcement that made this reunion possible