FORT BEND COUNTY – The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office (FBCO) has confirmed that a 22-year-old man with autism and nonverbal communication was reported missing on Monday, has been located at a local hospital, according to investigators.
The man, who with limited English skills, was last seen around 10:30 p.m. on June 9 in the 15700 block of Barbarossa Drive in Houston, which is near the intersection of Addicks Clodine and Beechnut.
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Authorities have not released information about his condition, but confirmed that he has been safely found.
This incident closely follows another recent case involving a nonverbal young girl found walking alone near Richey Street and Highway 225 in Pasadena in the early morning hours.
In that case reported last week, the child was safely reunited with her family thanks to the quick actions of local police.
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Both cases spark attention on the conversation around how to better protect individuals with cognitive or communication differences, particularly those prone to wandering.
In the Pasadena case, families emphasized the value of Project Lifesaver, a program that locates individuals with radio frequency bracelets to assist law enforcement in locating them quickly.
The average recovery time is just 30 minutes, and the technology works where GPS might fail.
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Although Fort Bend County partners with Project Lifesaver, officials confirmed the program was not utilized in the effort to locate the missing man.
As Nora Firestone of Project Lifesaver International pointed out, “Understanding the behaviors and the risks and the preventive solutions is a critical part of an effective safety plan.”
Programs like Project Lifesaver are already in use in parts of Texas, including Fort Bend County.
The missing man’s case shows the ongoing need for awareness, community involvement, and investment in such life-saving tools.
For families and caregivers of individuals with autism or other cognitive challenges, now may be a crucial moment to explore programs like Project Lifesaver.
