SKOWHEGAN — Search parties from the Maine Warden Service along with Skowhegan police and fire personnel successfully located a teenager who had been missing for about seven hours Sunday afternoon.

Cpl. John MacDonald, public relations and information officer for the warden service, said the boy, 17, who has autism, left his home on East River Road in Skowhegan at approximately 11 a.m. Sunday and did not return. He was reported missing to law enforcement by his mother at about 4 p.m.

The Skowhegan Police Department, Skowhegan Fire Department, and a Maine Warden Service K-9 team and pilot responded. A search of the surrounding area was conducted to include the Kennebec River with watercraft, MacDonald said in a news release.

The teen was located at about 6 p.m. Sunday by a game warden searching in the woods close to the Kennebec River. MacDonald said the boy had been building a shelter about a quarter of a mile from his house. The teen did not require medical attention and was brought back to his home and reunited with his mother, MacDonald said.

Skowhegan Police Chief David Bucknam said his department took the original call and asked for the wardens’ assistance because they had a K-9 unit and an aircraft.

“The biggest concern was the teen may have fallen in the river,” Bucknam said. “The Skowhegan Fire department launched their boat and patrolled the water while (Skowhegan police) and wardens searched the area on land. Great team effort and happy outcome.”

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter:@Doug_Harlow

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