Special search for missing German boy (6) with autism

NOS News•today, 12:23

Balloons, fireworks, children’s songs and hundreds of silent soldiers: in Germany everything has been done for five days to find 6-year-old Arian. Because he is autistic, the search for the missing boy takes place in a special way.

Arian ran away from home on Monday evening in the town of Elm, near Hamburg. Security footage shows him running into a nearby forest. The police used drones, a helicopter and a plane with a thermal imaging camera. Hundreds of volunteers have already helped with the search.

After the first searches turned up nothing, the police took a different approach. They hung up cheerful balloons and left chocolate for the boy, hoping he would come to them.

Because the boy is fascinated by fireworks, that was also tried. At night, large pillars of light were shone in the sky and the police installed speakers that played children’s songs.

That was also to no avail. Last night, on the advice of an expert, something new was tried: silence. Because autistic children can be frightened when their name is called, 200 soldiers walked through the forest as silently as possible last night. In small groups they tried to find the boy with night vision goggles.

The police fear that Arian may have ended up in the water somewhere. The area around Elm is extensive and has many ditches and fens. Divers were searching the nearby Oste River this week. The police are not considering reducing their efforts or stopping the search.