Missing 7 yo boy in WI (has autism)

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Registered: 03-20-2003
Missing 7 yo boy in WI (has autism)
11
Sat, 06-16-2007 - 10:43pm
Search for missing boy continues

By Jeff Williams and Karen Madden
and Karen Madden
Daily Tribune Staff


SARATOGA -- As the hours became days in the disappearance of a Saratoga boy, officials held onto hope that they would find the 7-year-old.


Nekoosa Fire Chief Ken Hartje told searchers to go home and get some rest Friday night because, "tomorrow is not going to be any easier." He explained the boy's condition was likely getting worse as time progressed; he was going to ask even more of the workers and volunteers today.


About 6:38 p.m. Thursday, the Heil family noticed Benjy Heil, who has autism, was missing after apparently wandering from home. His disappearance has triggered a massive search that includes rescue teams from about 30 municipalities, aircraft, dog teams from three states and hundreds of volunteers.


Each family member is coping differently, said Lena Heil, Benjy's sister.


"My mom is doing pretty bad," she said "We are trusting God."


Medical officials have told Hartje the boy should have been in good health Friday, but that could change.


Investigators met with the family Friday morning, Hartje said, and have looked into every available lead. They don't think foul play was involved.


"This is not a criminal investigation," Wood County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Shawn Becker said.


Some of the more than 375 volunteers poured into the command center at 14014 Highway Z in Saratoga as the search ended with Friday's sunset. Overnight, dog crews were expected to continue the search along with two aircraft that would use thermal imaging and night vision.


The boy's disability could be hampering the search: Officials don't think he will respond to his name.


Benjy's siblings, Mandy Heil, 22, Justin Heil, 21, Katie Casper, 19, Lena Heil, 17, Micah Heil, 15, Elisha Heil, 11, and Nathanael Heil, 9, waited with their parents, Rick and Cindy, in their white house across the street from the Wood County Sheriff's Department mobile command center Friday.


What started as a half-mile radius search Thursday night broadened to a five-mile radius Friday as teams of volunteers and rescue personnel walked 10 to 15 feet apart through briars and forests and wetlands.


Saturday's search efforts will include more boats and volunteers, Becker said.


The outpouring of support for the family and searchers has led to cases upon cases of water. Food is everywhere.


"It is above and beyond what we could have dreamed of," said Sue Weimer, director of the Wood County chapter of the American Red Cross. The organization, along with The Salvation Army, is supporting the family and the search effort.


The water was a welcome for searchers, as temperatures reached the high 80s and low 90s. Hartje said about six people were treated for dehydration or exhaustion Friday.


He expects more work Saturday.


"I need a prayer for Benjy tonight," Hartje said.

http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070616/WRT0101/706160467/1982


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Sun, 06-17-2007 - 11:11pm
Benjy: Search will continue Monday



The search for 7-year-old Benjy Heil will continue today and search officials are concerned there might be a drop in manpower today as people return to work and emergency personnel go back to their communities.

Officials conducted a door-to-door canvass in the search area, asking residents to continually check their homes, vehicles, outbuildings — even dog houses or abandoned buildings — anywhere the young child might seek shelter or food.

Several years ago, Benjy wandered about a mile from his home, and was found in the basement of an elderly man’s home.

Divers searched nearby water Sunday and the air and land searches continued.

“At this point, until we’ve got that child, I think we look at every possibility ...,” said Jay Shroda, an investigator with the Wood County Sheriff’s Department. “We want to make sure we cover every base and make sure we bring this child home safely.”


http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070617/WRT0101/70617032/1982


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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-13-2007
Sun, 06-17-2007 - 11:54pm

OMG...that is sooo scary! I remember Dakota got out of a window last summer and the gut wrenching terror I felt when I couldn't find him! We finally found him after a 1/2 hour of searching, he was in our van, just sitting there strapped in his carseat! Luckily it was only 10:30 in the morning so the heat of the day hadn't reached its peak yet. This kind of situation can happen to ANYONE! I feel so badly for the Heil family and their worry is unimaginable! PLEASE!! Everyone take ANY precautions you need to, to make SURE your child (with or without autism) cannot get out of the house without your knowledge!! Some people say "well my child has never tried to get out before"...neither did Dakota...others say "well I keep a close eye on MY child"..well I did too....Dakota went out the window WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING! There is definately a first time for EVERYTHING...especially with kids with ASD's. Now I have alarms on all my doors and windows! He isn't going ANYWHERE without me knowing it! And I'm still gonna check out that "project lifesaver" to see what it's all about! I don't know about anyone else, but I am going to pray very hard (as hard as I would want anyone to pray for MY child) for Benjy and his safe return to his family!

Jen

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Mon, 06-18-2007 - 3:07am

Oh Deb, When I read your first post I was so hoping they would of found him by now....

So horrible.

I wish I was close enough as I would be out there looking.

Chris used to be a bolter, and I remember he bolted from us in a dept store when he was 4. I just remember walking around screaming at the top of my lungs "Christopher!!!" Tony was frantically looking everywhere and Marisa (Older DD) was with Nicholas who was a baby and in a stroller at the time.

It took 15 min to find him, I was frantic the whole time and the employee in the furniture dept found him hiding underneath a bed.

It was the scariest thing I ever went thru in my life.

I can't imagine what these parents are going thru. I only went thru it for 15 mins.... What are they going thru?

Lainie

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2006
Mon, 06-18-2007 - 8:36am
I was hoping they would have found him by now...My prayers go out to this family. DH and I were talking about this last night. Nick is a bolter when he gets upset and he thinks it is a game. He can be so quiet, he thinks it is a game to hide. Just 2 days ago at the neighbors house he bolted and they couldnt find him, everyone was looking and he was hiding on the front porch behind a chair, but when they were calling his name, he didnt say a peep. We weren't sure if he were lost that he would call out if someone were calling his name. This is just so scary. I hope they find Benjy soon. I wish I lived closer too.
Christine

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Christine

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Mon, 06-18-2007 - 8:47am

I am shocked that there is so little in the news about this.

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2006
Thu, 06-21-2007 - 8:35am

A very sad ending to this story..please pray for this family.

http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/8080182.html

Missing Boy's Body Found in Wood County
The body of a missing 7-year-old autistic boy was found near his home in Wood County Tuesday morning.

Benjy Heil had been missing since Thursday when he disappeared from his home in the town of Saratoga near Wisconsin Rapids.

Sheriff's officials say the boy's body was found at about 11 a.m. by a team of dogs and handlers along ten mile creek less than a mile south of his home.

Volunteer searchers were urged to leave the scene and return home.

Lt. Dave Laude of the Wood County Sheriff’s Department says, “Because the search went on for five days, it only makes the bad news that much harder to deliver."

Search Volunteer Pete Gilson says, “We'll always love Benjy always have, always will."

A counseling session was held nearby for the hundreds of people who turned out to help. An autopsy is planned for Wednesday.

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Christine

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Thu, 06-21-2007 - 9:51am

oh no!


This is so sad!

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-28-2007
Thu, 06-21-2007 - 5:34pm

Oh Lord; it's hard to hold out much hope after 72 hours though. One of the boys in Liam's class has a house arrest ankle bracelet fitted as he is an awful bolter (jumped out of his second stopry bedroom window once. Liam used to be a bolter, but it'ts been almost a year since the last escape attempt.

Dee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2007
Thu, 06-21-2007 - 5:55pm
This is so sad. When I first saw your post I was immediatly reminded of Ricky Holland. He lived about 20 minutes away from us. Everybody frantically looked for him. There were reports in almost every neighboring town that someone thought they had spotted him. Someone found a fruit snack wrapper on the side of the road, and police investigated the lead, because they knew that Ricky had some of them in his backpack. It was heartbreaking to find out that he was lying in a ditch in a garbage bag the whole time at the hands of his parents. Ricky was an Asperger's child. His parents staged the scene so it looked like he climbed out his window and took his backback. It hurt the whole community, and the only closure anybody has is that they are now both in prison for life.
So sad.
Carey
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Thu, 06-21-2007 - 9:17pm

well that was certianly not the news I was wanting to hear....I'm not sure if I should thank you for posting or not.

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