A search for a 16-year-old autistic girl who ran away from her home near Avola Wednesday evening has resumed, according to her father.
“I don’t know what brought this on,” he said. “I want to get her help. She has special needs and mental problems. I am really concerned for her safety.”
Speaking on a cellphone on Friday afternoon, the father said only a RCMP dog service team was involved in the search. At the time of the conversation with the Times, he said the dog and handler were attempting to drive the girl towards him.
The incident apparently began Wednesday evening when the girl ran away from home following a dispute with her parents.
The girl’s father had called police at about 9:30 a.m. on Thursday to tell them that she had left. The father said that she had taken a sleeping bag and some lighters with her, and that she had done the same in 2014.
During the earlier incident the girl had been gone for about three days.
Police went to the scene, as well as Wells Gray Search and Rescue and a Police Service Dog unit.
Members of Kamloops Search and Rescue were called in to assist on Thursday afternoon.
The girl was located by a search dog team about 100 m from the residence at about 9:30 or 10:00 that evening.
“She did run from them but she is still on the property,” said Sgt. Kevin Podbisky of Clearwater RCMP.
Apparently due to concerns that multiple searchers plus dogs might scare the girl off, the search was paused as of Friday morning.
Although warmer on Friday, the weather in the Avola area has been unusually cool and wet during the incident.
