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Child with autism disappears while walking with dad at park

Posted at 11:48 AM, Sep 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-24 11:48:08-04

GASTONIA, North Carolina — The search continued Monday for a missing six-year-old boy with autism.

Maddox Ritch was last seen Saturday afternoon at Rankin Lake Park in Gastonia, North Carolina.

More than 100 people searched the park and lake over the weekend for any sign of the child.

Maddox was with his father and another adult friend when he disappeared, WSOC reported. Police told WSOC Maddox and his father were walking around the lake when the child started to run. His father and the other adult said they lost sight of the child.

“If you were at Rankin Lake Park on Saturday and saw Maddox or took video or photos of their outing at the park, call us,” Gastonia Police Chief Robert Helton said during a weekend press conference. “We know a lot of people were in the park and we have spoken to many of them, but we have not spoken to everyone. No piece of information is too small. Something you may think is insignificant could be helpful to our case.”

The tip line number is 704-869-1075.

Maddox has blonde hair, blue eyes, and stand four-feet tall. He is non-verbal and was last seen wearing black shorts and an orange t-shirt that read “I am the man.”