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Community response to police social media alerts is being credited with helping locate an 8-year-old boy who was lost for almost four hours after walking away unnoticed from a Dublin elementary school’s special education summer program Monday.
The boy, who is autistic and non-verbal, was found about a half-mile from Frederiksen Elementary School safe and in good health after a resident who was aware of the ongoing missing-person search saw the boy near their house and called police, according to authorities.
“We would like to thank our allied agencies for their assistance and express our sincere appreciation to the Dublin community for their vigilance and support in helping bring this situation to a safe resolution,” Dublin Police Services Capt. Miguel Campos said in a press release Monday afternoon.
The situation unfolded after a late-morning recess Monday (June 16) in the extended school year program for special education students, hosted at Frederiksen, according to the Dublin Unified School District. The boy was reported missing after the recess and police were called to the scene.
DPS officers arrived at Frederiksen at 11:08 a.m., and all Dublin police units on duty as well as multiple units from neighboring law enforcement agencies and DUSD personnel began scouring the area around the school at 7243 Tamarack Drive, according to Campos.
The search would continue until 2:44 p.m. when a resident of the northwest Dublin neighborhood – who had seen police social media posts about the missing child – observed the boy near their house blocks away from the school, according to Campos.
“The resident made contact with the child and immediately called DPS dispatch,” Campos said. “The child was located safe and in good health and reunited with his parents.”
DUSD Superintendent Chris Funk issued a community statement later Monday lauding the “swift and coordinated efforts” of the police department in helping lead to a positive resolution.
“I want to express my deep appreciation to the DPD for their rapid response and overwhelming support. They immediately flooded the area with personnel and resources, ensuring every possible measure was taken to bring the student home safely,” Funk said.
“I also want to acknowledge and thank the many staff members who jumped into action, searching the surrounding area, providing key information, and supporting students and one another during a stressful moment. Your commitment and care make a real difference,” he added. “Thank you all for everything you do to keep our students safe.”
Although the boy’s name and photo were publicly shared by Dublin police during the search, the Pleasanton Weekly is withholding his identity from this story to limit potential impacts on the boy and his family.
