BEAUFORT: A seven-year-old girl with autism who was reported missing in Kampung Lumadan was found safe on Thursday morning after spending the night in a nearby forest.
The child, identified as Vin Aaric Vicktor, was discovered by a villager about 3.5km from her home at around 7.40am.
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Beaufort Fire and Rescue Station chief Ishak Jabas said the department received an emergency call from Beaufort police at about 5pm on Wednesday reporting that the child had gone missing near her house.
A team of 10 firefighters, assisted by police and the victim’s family, launched a search-and-rescue (SAR) operation within a 600-metre radius of the house.
Ishak said the operation was suspended at midnight and resumed the following morning.
The girl was later found by a woman entering the forest, who said the child appeared weak and was lying on the ground after spending the night outdoors.
“She was brought back safely to be reunited with her family. We were worried she could have been bitten by a snake or faced other dangers in the forest,” she said.
The victim’s father, Victor, expressed gratitude after his daughter was found safe and thanked all parties involved in the search efforts.
