THE overjoyed family members of a missing autistic five-year-old who was found safe and well after a 12-hour nightmare have expressed their heartfelt gratitude to friends, the authorities and complete strangers who went in search of the child.
Little Abdullah Ahmed was spotted by police officers in the early hours of yesterday morning scared and alone standing on a rooftop of a residential building overlooking a park he loves to play in.
His frantic family, hugging his twin sister Noor, had launched an appeal for help to find the missing boy after he had wandered off from his home in Al Hejayat, East Riffa, on Saturday at around 1pm.
Scores of people rallied to the call and took to their cars to search the surrounding area and police were out in force late into the night. Car horns hooted and people cheered in the streets when the good news broke.
“The boy was found in Riffa and in good health,” tweeted the Interior Ministry. “The National Ambulance and other concerned authorities have been brought to the scene to finalise procedures.”
Delighted dad Ahmed Jamal told the GDN: “I cannot thank people enough, so many gave up their time to help in the search. It shows what love there is in Bahrain, we are one big family.”
Abdullah is a quiet soul who lives in a world of his own and avoids crowds and the challenge of finding him was made more difficult as he rarely answers to his name.
Autism Spectrum Disorder includes a broad range of conditions characterised by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication.
The family takes special precautions to keep him safe but a National Day gathering and celebration allowed for members to drop their guard for a moment and the drama unfolded.
“We are normally very careful, my wife and I, and close the doors in a way that they can’t be easily opened by a child. Everyone in the family, as we live in a building owned by my father, is aware of this protocol,” Mr Jamal explained.
“But, it was a holiday lunch on Saturday, and the children were playing around. They must have opened the door and that minute was enough for Abdullah to disappear.
“We often take him to a nearby public park and it appears that he headed there, found an open door and entered a building just a few steps away.
“We were in complete shock and living in fear for 12 hours. We searched everywhere – everywhere and anywhere – and, of course, you cannot escape from thinking the worse, dark thoughts of him coming to harm crossed our minds repeatedly.”
GDNonline and our social media platforms, including GDNlife, alongside the online operations of our sister Arabic publication, Akhbar Al Khaleej, alerted the public of the appeal for help.
The ‘social partnership’ between community members has been praised by the Southern Governorate Police Directorate director general. “We informed all security bodies and search and investigation teams were formed, alongside surveillance camera-tracking specialists from across the country,” said the official. “It took 12 hours to find the boy safe and sound.
“We would like to thank all governorate residents, as well as news and social media platforms that interacted over the incident. Their social partnership was influential in the search.”
Abdullah’s teacher at Blossom Rehabilitation Centre, Samer Ayassarh, a father of three daughters, said the child was precious to him as any of his own children and he dashed to the family’s side.
“As soon as I heard the news, I rushed to help the family and police search for him, alongside my wife who is also the centre’s director.
“Abdullah has severe disconnection from the world around him and doesn’t like to socialise or be touched, often seemingly unaware of what’s happening even if called by name. He can sit for hours and hours lost in his own world.”
However, the teacher added that Abdullah was knowledgeable of locations and would be quite capable of making his way in the direction of his favourite park – Al Mugtarbeen.
One of the many people who dropped everything and gave up their Saturday night to help in the search, told the GDN that Abdullah’s plight had brought everyone in Bahrain together.
“I decided to go out at around 1.30am,” he said. “I was not expecting the neighbourhood to be so crowded. There were people with their families driving around, children holding flashlights out of car windows.
“It was incredible, I would walk into a construction site to search, only for someone to drive by and shout: ‘We’ve already checked that one, brother’.
“We were helping each other to check around deep holes that had been dug for roadworks. The community pulling together was amazing to experience. We are so blessed to be living in Bahrain.
“At around 3am I stopped a policeman to ask if what I heard was true, that they had found him. I was so relieved when he confirmed the search was over and the child was safe,” the businessman added, asking not to be named.
The Jamal family is planning to increase security measures in the home by installing new hi-tech doors, bells and alarms, and even surveillance cameras may be installed.
“I want my son to be safe all the time and will do whatever it takes to ensure that,” Mr Jalal said.
They will also be buying a special tracking bracelet for the boy, suggested by the school.
“There was a case in Bahrain two years ago when an autistic child left home and was hit by car – we have to work together to ensure this never happens again,” his teacher added.
“We now recommend that Abdullah wears a silver tag magnetic bracelet with a location chip, just to ensure that his whereabouts are known.”
The centre will continue working with him to help him adjust to society and prosper as he grows older. Although well enough to return home, Abdullah caught a slight chill from his unplanned expedition to the park.
“I believe that Abdullah may have caught a cold, so we’ll let him relax for a few days, before returning back to the centre, and we are working for him to improve and he will,” added Mr Ayassarh.
It’s nothing too serious. His mother Al Anood told the GDN: “Abdullah was taken to the BDF Hospital for a check-up and thankfully things are all right.
“Our son means the world to us and a huge ‘thank you’ goes to the people of Bahrain for feeling that Abdullah is their son or brother too and for helping us. We will never forget the kindness shown.”
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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