6-year-old with autism pulled to safety after clinging to tree in Passaic River
Police say the boy was found around 10 p.m. Thursday holding onto the tree, which was about halfway underwater.
More Stories
A 6-year-old nonverbal autistic boy was rescued from a river embankment Thursday night after leaving his home and prompting a multiagency search in Totowa, according to the Totowa Police Department.
Police said officers received several calls at about 9:20 p.m. reporting a child estimated to be between 3 and 5 years old knocking on doors near 44 Lincoln Ave. and walking east toward the Passaic River. Officers later learned they were searching for a 6-year-old boy who had climbed out of his bedroom window about 25 minutes earlier.
The Totowa Fire Department was called to assist with personnel and searchlights along Lincoln Avenue, Totowa Road and the Passaic River. Police said neighboring law enforcement agencies also assisted in the search.
According to police, the child was found at about 9:50 p.m. at the bottom of the river embankment, clinging to a tree and partially submerged in the water. Several members of the Totowa Fire Department helped bring him up the embankment, police said.
“It was probably about 40 degrees, and he was shivering," said Patrolman Fina Matranga, of the Totowa Police Department. "He was ice-cold and white, almost blue.”
The child was reunited with his parents and taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Police credited the coordinated response by officers, firefighters and neighboring agencies with helping locate the child within about 30 minutes of the initial calls.
“We’re not just police officers, we’re also human and we’re parents," said Matranga. "So, we try to put ourselves in that position, and it was definitely heartwarming. It was just very emotional to save the child and reunite him with his family.”
WATCH: Police bodycam video from the rescue.
Having trouble viewing the video? Click here.
Video courtesy of the Totowa Police Department.
