Autistic 6-Year-Old Boy Rescued From Passaic River in Totowa New Jersey

A six-year-old nonverbal boy with autism was rescued from the freezing Passaic River in Totowa, New Jersey, after escaping through a window last Thursday night, ABC7 New York reported.

Totowa police received emergency calls about a barefoot child knocking on doors and then fleeing. Responding crews quickly found the boy’s parents desperately searching for their runaway son.

The child, identified as Jacob, had slipped out through a window. The search quickly became deeply personal for the officers and local residents who flooded the neighborhood.

“You know, we are also parents, so we tend to see things a little bit more personal,” Patrolman Fina Matranga of the Totowa Police Department told ABC7 New York. “We are a very tight knit community as well, so it was definitely very emotional.”

Neighbors joined the search efforts immediately, combing the area on foot as anxiety mounted over the child’s safety in the dark.

Child with autism rescued from Passaic River after escaping from home #shorts #nj #news — Eyewitness News ABC7NY

“Some people were screaming his name. ‘Jacob. Jacob.’ And some people were just, like, on foot power walking and some are running,” neighbor Latoya Carswell told ABC7 New York.

As the operation expanded, responders grew increasingly concerned that the young boy might be drawn to nearby water sources. Teams raced toward the Passaic River and called in additional municipal resources.

A breathtaking view of the great falls of the passaic river in jersey

“We quickly widened our, our resources and called the fire department for extra lighting and more manpower, along with other agencies around town and the sheriff’s department,” Matranga said.

Authorities located Jacob down a dark embankment just before he could be swept away by the river’s current. He was half in the water and clinging desperately to a tree.

Because of the steep drop, rescue personnel had to form a human chain down the embankment to bring the shivering child back to safety. Matranga said that the boy was completely soaked and covered in mud when rescuers finally reached him.

Video shows 6-year-old being rescued from Passaic River in New Jersey — CBS New York

“Completely drenched from head to toe, full of mud. What appeared to be vomit on his chest. I sat with him and I was able to comfort him and clean them up a little bit. I have some sensory toys in my duty bag for these cases, and I was able to give him some toys,” Matranga said.

For Carswell, the rescue effort brought an immediate sense of recognition and maternal instinct.

“We helped him once before. So, I kind of knew what he looked like and the height and everything like that. So instantly I just jumped into mommy mode like, no, we’re about to help them,” Carswell told ABC7 New York.

According to Eyewitness News reporting, this was not the first time Jacob had run away from home, having reportedly done the same last month. Officials believe the child may have been drawn toward nearby Christmas lights as well as the river.

Police confirmed that Jacob’s parents are currently installing tighter locks on their home windows to prevent future escapes.

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