A 7-year-old boy, who was reported missing earlier this morning in Pleasant Township, has been safely found after a community-wide search effort. The child, who is autistic and has a known affinity for water, was discovered in a patch of tall weeds by a local property owner, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reported. The boy was absent from his residence on Harrisburg Georgesville Road just after the morning bell of 10:00 a.m., as initial reports stated.
It took nearly two hours of intense searching by multiple agencies to locate the child. The search party included operatives from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Units, K9s, Dive Team, and Drone Unit. Assisting in the effort were members from Grove City Police, Pleasant Township Fire, Columbus RREACT, Columbus Metro Parks, and Jackson Township Fire. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office revealed that at least five drones and CPD’s helicopter were deployed to thoroughly scour the area around Osprey Lake—a known spot the child was likely to be drawn to.
The collective sigh of relief didn’t come until just before the stroke of noon when the boy was found. The property owner who found the child amidst the high weeds did so roughly half a mile from where the child’s journey had begun, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. After the ordeal, the boy was promptly reunited with his waiting family…