Young autistic boy who wandered from Harrison home rescued from thick brush in woods

A young, nonverbal autistic boy was rescued Saturday night by Citizens Hose firefighters after wandering coatless and alone into the woods in the Birdville section of Harrison.

“He didn’t have any injuries; he was just chilly,” Chief Sean Jones said.

The child, about 4 or 5 years old, walked away from his grandparents’ home along Opal Court just before 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Jones said.

His parents notified police, but a passerby saw him headed into the woods.

”We were just setting up a search grid when we got eyes on him,” Jones said.

Harrison police, along with officers from Fawn, Tarentum and Brackenridge, assisted.

Emergency crews were able to rescue the boy within about 15 minutes from thick brush that lines the homes there.

Harrison police launched a drone and crews threw ropes over the wooded hillside, while rescue workers made their way down to the boy and helped him back up to a waiting ambulance.

Jones estimated he was about 150 feet into the woods.

The boy was visibly upset after the rescue but calmed down while EMS checked him for injuries, Jones said.

“We got him into a sweatshirt pretty quick, and he started warming up,” Jones said.

“It could’ve been catastrophic,” the chief said. “That brush is thick, and we’re just happy we got him back up.”