PENAMPANG: After more than six hours of being reported missing, an autistic child was found safe last night.
Avelyn Alesha Jude, 6, was found approximately five kilometers from her home in the Kampung Sugud forest area, at 10.20pm.
Avelyn's uncle, Mestan Eden, said his niece was found by villagers who had been conducting search and rescue operations since yesterday evening.
"My sister (Avelyn's mother) informed me that they prayed before searching for Avelyn.
"They also sounded the gong while searching for Avelyn," he said when contacted.
He expressed gratitude that Avelyn was found safe and thanked everyone who prayed until Avelyn was found safe.
"Thanks also to the firefighters, police, and villagers who participated in the SAR mission for Avelyn," he said.
Officer in Charge of the Operations Centre of the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Sabah, Senior Assistant Fire Commissioner, Mohd Ishak Amran, said they received information that the victim had been found by villagers.
"The victim was found about five kilometres from her family's home in the forest area.
"The victim was found by three teenagers before they informed the security forces," he said when contacted today.
He added that the victim was then taken to HQE I on a Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) Kota Kinabalu vehicle for further treatment.
In yesterday evening's incident, Avelyn Alesha was reported missing around 4 pm by her mother at their home in Kampung Sugud.
Search efforts were then carried out by family members together with villagers, but the victim was not found before they contacted the authorities for assistance.
The search operation involved a team of firefighters from the Penampang Fire and Rescue Station along with police officers from the Penampang District Police Headquarters.