A missing 5-year-old autistic child who ran away from his father on March 25, 2026, in Rockville was safely located with assistance from a community member and the Montgomery County Department of Police’s Real-Time Intelligence Center (RTIC). A video can be seen below.
On the evening of Wednesday, March 25th, officers responded around 7:40 pm to the 13000 block of Evanston Street and launched a coordinated search involving patrol units, a search manager, and K-9 teams.
During the search, an RTIC officer contacted a nearby registered camera owner, who shortly after spotted the child outside and called 911. The resident directed officers to the child, who was found uninjured and reunited with his father. Police said the incident highlights the role of community cooperation and technology in locating missing individuals, noting that officers and residents help find several individuals on the autism spectrum each week.
Per MCPD: “To learn about the resources of MCPD’s Autism/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Alzheimer’s and Dementia Outreach Unit, visit the link below:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/government/departments-agencies/montgomery-county-police-department/how-do-i/autism-intellectual-developmental-disabilities-idd-alzheimers-dementia-outreach
To support future investigations, MCPD encourages residents to register their exterior security cameras through the department’s camera registry at:
https://mcpdmd.fususregistry.com/camera-registry
Camera registration:
• Takes approximately 60 seconds
• Does not give MCPD direct access to private camera systems
• Allows investigators to quickly contact camera owners in an emergency or during an active investigation
• Strengthens community–police collaboration and helps keep neighborhoods safe”
