Share this @internewscast.com
An autistic six-year-old boy has been missing for over a week in the Canadian Rockies, and authorities caution that his chances of survival are slim. The boy, Darius Macdougall from Alberta, was last spotted with his family near Island Lake Campground, situated two miles south of Crowsnest Pass, on September 21. He was reported missing shortly after, at around 11:30 a.m., prompting an extensive search effort involving more than 200 people, along with dogs, drones, and infrared cameras.
After a week of intensive search efforts, the boy has not been found, leading officials to advise the family to brace for the worst. Corporal Gina Slaney from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as reported by CBC news, mentioned that the chance of surviving under the current circumstances is below 5%. This assessment stemmed from analyzing the terrain, exposure to weather conditions, and the extended duration since the search commenced.
The area where Macdougall disappeared has had nighttime temperatures just above freezing, with lows around 39°F over the past week. Despite these conditions, the authorities continue their search while adapting their strategies. Corporal Slaney mentioned, “We are refocusing some efforts but we remain fully committed to the search and will not scale back.”
Adam Kennedy from Search and Rescue Alberta informed City News that his team plans to transition from using infrared to regular cameras, given the decreasing expectation of detecting heat signatures. Macdougall, who stands four feet tall with brown hair, was last seen in a blue-grey hoodie and sweatpants. Officials previously noted, “Darius has a medical condition that may prevent him from responding to others.”
The boy’s condition complicates standard search operations. Due to his fear of loud noises, searchers play his favorite song instead of calling out his name, reports CBC. Although verbal, he might not respond to his name. Search-and-rescue expert Robert Koester mentioned that children with autism might go missing more often than anticipated.
Koester explained, “The significant challenge with autism is that some individuals may not respond when their name is called, either because they can’t or choose not to out of fear.” Corporal Slaney confirmed that at this stage, there is no suspicion of foul play involved in this case.
Victim Family Liaison Officers are providing support to the family, ensuring a single point of contact with the RCMP, and working to reduce re-traumatization by including the family in efforts to find the child, according to the RCMP. The Daily Mail has reached out to Search and Rescue Alberta for comment.
