A powerful windstorm with gusts reaching 75 mph or more is expected to blow through parts of the Cajon Pass and Southern California from Tuesday morning through late Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.
San Diego County, California – An 11-year-old nonverbal boy with autism who went missing from a Santee supermarket was safely reunited with his family thanks to the quick actions of an off-duty sheriff’s dispatcher and responding deputies, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.
The boy was reported missing around 4:30 p.m. on March 9 after running out of a supermarket in the 9600 block of Mission Gorge Road with his family. Unable to locate him, his family contacted the Sheriff’s Communications Center, prompting an immediate search effort. The Santee Sheriff’s Station deployed deputies and an ASTREA helicopter to assist in locating the child.
Roughly 45 minutes later, off-duty dispatcher Shiloh Corbet was driving home when she spotted someone matching the child’s description running along Mast Boulevard near the on-ramp to State Route 52. Recognizing the urgency, Corbet immediately notified the Communications Center and reported that the child had started running up the on-ramp.
Corbet stopped her vehicle and followed the boy on foot as he crossed the westbound lanes of SR-52 and reached the center divider. Using the child’s name, which had been relayed to her by dispatch, she called out to him, urging him to stay in place for his own safety while continuing to provide updates over the phone.
Deputies arrived moments later and spotted the child at the top of a steep embankment. As they attempted to make contact, he moved toward the guardrail. Despite their efforts to stop him, the boy jumped the divider and began running along the freeway.
Without hesitation, Deputies Cody Green and Michael Moser leapt over the guardrail and pursued him on foot through traffic. They safely removed the child from the freeway and escorted him to safety. No injuries were reported during the incident.
“This incident highlights the dedication and bravery of both our off-duty personnel and deputies in the field,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
The child was later reunited with his family. Authorities emphasized that no one was hurt and credited the rapid communication and teamwork for the successful outcome.
