Sheriff's K-9 finds missing autistic boy

Published: Feb. 15, 2017 at 3:39 PM CST|Updated: Feb. 15, 2017 at 3:45 PM CST
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St. Tammany Sheriff's K-9 Freya helped find a missing Autistic child (Source: St. Tammany...
St. Tammany Sheriff's K-9 Freya helped find a missing Autistic child (Source: St. Tammany Sheriff's Office)

ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA (WVUE) - A St. Tammany Parish sheriff's K-9 is being hailed a hero for quickly finding a 14-year-old Autistic boy who had been missing for hours.

The child's family called deputies Tuesday after their son went missing in Lacombe.

Deputies say they canvassed the area for hours with no luck. St. Tammany Sheriff's Deputy Ron Olivier and K-9 Freya were called in to help search.

The Bavarian Mountain Hound, which the department says specializes in finding lost children, took the scent of the missing boy's clothes and started searching. About 20 minutes later, K-9 Freya found the boy curled up and hiding in the woods.

"This potential tragic story finished with a happy ending. Our canines are amazing animals who are invaluable to our deputies and citizens," Sheriff Randy Smith said.

The sheriff's office says the boy was found in good health after being missing about three hours.

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