4-YR-OLD SIDNEY HEIDRICK, MISSING IN OHIO/FOUND DEAD

[HairOfTheDog]

^ Sidney Heidrick is lost somewhere near Sheffield Lake, Ohio.

He went missing around 4:30pm on Friday (yesterday) after leaving his grandparents' sight for 'less than a minute', triggering a massive hunt.

Sidney is Autistic. Police say he wandered away from his grandparents' home during a visit - and wasn't wearing any shoes.

Police dogs, aircraft, jet skis and boats were deployed in the search, which extends into the waters of Lake Erie and includes searchers from the Coast Guard and FBI.

Passers-by reported the wandering child to police after he slipped away from his grandparents' home, but by the time police arrived the boy was gone.

Sidney is three-and-a-half feet tall, weighs about 40 pounds and has blond hair. He had an orange shirt, blue shorts and no shoes on. His parents suggested he may be hiding in somebody's back yard.

Today, the family issued this public statement.
"The family would like to thank everyone for their efforts in trying to find Sidney. We are overwhelmed with the amount of support. We would like to implore everyone in the cities of Sheffield Village, Sheffield Lake, Avon, Avon Lake, and Bay Village to continue [to] look in any possible hiding place. Please check under tarps, window wells, sandboxes, under decks, in closets, in garages, and anywhere a 4-year-old could fit. If your neighbors aren't home, please check their houses if at all possible. We appreciate all the efforts and continued support and can't wait for Sidney to be brought home safely. If everyone in this area can do this, we will find Sidney."

Ref: http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/lor.../30650435/
------------------------------

There have been a few cases of young Autistic children who've wandered off and went missing for days, later found alive and in-hiding.

Hoping this little guy is one of those who is found safe (and soon).

[BlueTiki]

Poor frightened and confused little child!

[HairOfTheDog]

Fuck.

BREAKING NEWS -- SHEFFIELD LAKE, Ohio -- The body of missing 4-year-old boy Sidney Heidrick was pulled from Lake Erie Saturday afternoon, according to Sheffield Lake Mayor Dennis Bring. Story: http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/lor.../30650435/

I sure hope Sidney's grandparents and parents can someday find peace; I imagine the combination of guilt and grief right now is overwhelming.

RIP Sidney Heidrick.

[BlueTiki]

Dammit!

Poor little guy.

[Jimbone]

What HotD said.

Fuck.

[HairOfTheDog]

What HotD said.

Fuck.

I don't cry very often, but I cried a bit today when I read the news that Sidney was found dead in the water.

I also laughed a little afterwards. My niece was getting ready for work and asked me if I was crying; it took her off guard. I told her the story and showed her the photos of Sidney. I asked her if she understood why I was crying. She said, "yeah, that kid reminds you of T, I bet".

T is her brother who is 4 years younger than she. She swears that her brother is retarded, which he's not. I told her she was wrong, Sidney didn't remind me of young T, and that I was just sad because Sidney was innocent and I'd really hoped that he would be found alive, for his sake and his family's.

My niece said sincerely, "yeah, I feel kind of sad when poor little autistic or retarded or whatever kids like T get hurt or die too", or something to that effect.

Seriously, she's way more thoughtful/compassionate now than she was when I took her in almost two years ago (or she does a good job pretending to be). But, clearly, we see things very differently. A lot of things. Keeps me on my toes though; sometimes while smiling, sometimes while pissed and disappointed...never while bored.

[ramseycat]

Aw poor little guy. I hate these stories.

[HairOfTheDog]

^ Hundreds gathered in Sheffield Lake to remember Sidney Heidrick

The community of Sheffield Lake, Ohio, will never forget the moment the body of 4-year-old Sidney Heidrick was pulled from Lake Erie.

"I don't think anyone is going to get over any of this anytime soon," Mayor Dennis Bring tells PEOPLE.

Bring, a Sheffield Lake resident since 1958 who is in his fourth year as mayor, says he can't even remember the last time a tragedy like this struck his community, which is home to 9,000 people.

Sidney appears to have entered the water soon after he went missing, Lorain County Coroner Stephen Evans tells PEOPLE, and he died of an apparent drowning.

Wandering is one of the greatest risks to children who have autism, officials with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tell PEOPLE, and nearly half of children with autism will wander.

Being able to find these children is complicated further by the fact that they may hide from other people or head straight for water, says Robert Lowery, vice president of NCMEC's missing children division.

Higher-functioning children have been known to travel several miles with the help of public transportation.

Water poses a particular danger. From 2009 to 2011, 91 percent of the deaths of children 14 and younger with autism were due to accidental drowning after wandering, Lowery says, citing the National Autism Association.

http://www.people.com/article/sidney-hei...hio-update