SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – A missing Central Florida teen who has autism was found safe Tuesday afternoon after a large daylong search.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said authorities and volunteers were searching for Peyton O Pickard, 16, who walked away from his home near C-575 and West C-48 in Bushnell.
“At some point, he wandered off and didn’t realize that he had wandered off,” said Sumter County Undersheriff Pat Breeden. “And they went and looked for him for a little while before they called us to the normal locations he may go, and they weren’t able to find him, and they called us.”
Breeden said the sheriff’s office expanded their search area near the Withlacoochee River, dealing with several obstacles including hot temperatures and swampy terrain.
“The area is right by the Withlachoochee River,” Breeden said. “So, we’re dealing with thick vegetation, water and a bunch of undergrowth that we have to get through. And it’s a very swampy area.”
Pickard was eventually found about a half-mile to a mile from his home by one of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office’s K9s. The sheriff’s office says he has some bug bites and is very thirsty, and will be taken in for observation.
Several volunteers came out on Tuesday to help with the search efforts.
David Larkin is from the Tampa area and said while he was in the area helping paint a house, he heard about the search for Pickard and wanted to stay and help.
“I called my wife about an hour ago and I said ‘honey. this young man is out here somewhere wandering around. I really just want to go up and help out if I can,’” Larkin said.
Nan Handschen just moved to the Bushnell area and said she also felt compelled to come help.
“I have children of my own and I can’t even imagine what the family is going through right now in this sweltering heat,” Handschen said. “We were in Ocala this morning and I heard about it on the news this morning. We had doctor’s appointments, but we rushed back to see if I could help find this child.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates online and on News 6.
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