Wandering Boy's Mother Located by Deputies

The mother of a boy found by an Orange County sheriff’s deputy running toward the Santa Ana (5) Freeway early this morning has been located.

A deputy spotted the boy on Crown Valley Parkway running toward the Santa Ana Freeway around 1:45 a.m., according to sheriff’s Lt. Joe Gaul.

The deputy picked up the boy and took him to the Mission Viejo Station, where he gave deputies two different first and last names that didn’t matched families in the area, Gaul said, and “depending upon when you ask him he’s 11 or 15 years old.”

Deputies believe the boy might be autistic, Gaul said.

Sheriff’s deputies circulated photos of the boy in hopes of locating his parents, and shortly before 11 a.m., sheriff’s officials said the boy’s mother had been found and authorities were on their way to her home. It was still unclear why the boy was outside at around 1:45 a.m.

City News Service

Photo: OCSD