Missing Autistic Boy Found Safe In San Francisco, Reunited With Parents
CONCORD (CBS SF) -- An 11-year-old Concord boy with autism was reunited with his parents Friday afternoon after being found safe in San Francisco, authorities said.
Zachary Jordan-Smith, who was described as having "high functioning autism," had last been seen walking towards the North Concord BART station in the area of Port Chicago Highway Friday morning.
The disappearance of the autistic boy prompted a search effort and an outpouring of social media support.
According to police, Jordan-Smith was spotted by San Francisco resident Alice Caruthers in traffic along a busy and dangerous stretch of Alemany Boulevard. After seeing the boy from her office window, she ran outside to bring him indoors to safety.
Caruthers called 911 and the report she had found the child safe made its way to SFPD Ingleside Sgt. Lisa Springer, who happened to know Zachary and his family.
Sgt. Springer brought the boy to Ingleside Station, where the uninjured boy was tearfully reunited with his parents Friday afternoon.
The San Francisco Police Department offered its thanks to Alice Caruthers, saying in a Facebook post that "her initiative shows that good things happen when citizens get involved."
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