After Nearly A Day Of Searching, Missing 18-Year-Old With Autism Found Safe

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Police have located an 18-year-old who had been missing for nearly a day.

Police and rescue crews were searching Frick Park early Monday morning for Vance Meinhart-McBurney, who has the mental capacity of a 6-year-old.

He was last seen around 1 p.m. Sunday.

Police say Vance was located a community over from his home in Swisshelm Park. He was found with someone who knows him and he's said to be fine.

The Pittsburgh Police Missing Persons Unit, along with the Allegheny Mountain Rescue Group, set up a command center in Frick Park near the Nine Mile Run trail.

This was the second time he had gone missing in two years. The first time, crews found him in the woods. So, this time crews did aerial and ground searches.

"He has severe autism," said Pittsburgh Police spokeswoman Sonya Toler. "We wanted to focus on this area because it's close to his home and we've learned he has a love of the woods."

Chris Rusch from the Allegheny Mountain Rescue Group was working with police during the search. He said there were four search and rescue teams from the area going through the park with police.

When he was found, Meinhart-McBurney was in such good shape that he didn't need to be taken to the hospital to be checked out.

This is a developing story, stay with KDKA or KDKA.com for more. 

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