Autistic boy dies after being hit by car

The Autism News | English

A motorcyclist drives through the area of 41st Street and Yale Avenue, where a 5-year-old boy was struck by a sport utility vehicle Friday afternoon. The boy died Monday from injuries. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

By MATT BARNARD | Tulsa World

An autistic boy who was injured when he wandered away from home and was hit by a sport utility vehicle died Monday, police said.

The 5-year-old, whose name was not released, was running across Yale Avenue near 41st Street when the vehicle crashed into him Friday afternoon, Tulsa Police Cpl. Kim York said.

The boy’s parents had noticed that he was missing about 20 minutes before the accident and were canvassing the area with a group of neighbors, police said. Meanwhile, the child was darting through traffic in a busy shopping district.

Motorists stopped and tried to get the child to move to the sidewalk, but he walked into traffic again and was struck just before 4:45 p.m. Medics took him to St. Francis Hospital in critical condition, and he died Monday morning, York said.

The boy had Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning autism disorder, and wore a medical bracelet that indicated his condition. There was no sign that his parents were at fault in his death, York said.

“There was no indication that he was left alone or neglected,” she said. “I feel for the parents. It has got to be one of the most difficult situations.”

Source: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090706_298_0_Anauti8557&allcom=1

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