Man hailed for finding missing autistic teen asleep in shed
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – A suburban New York man is being hailed as a hero for finding a missing autistic teenager sleeping in his backyard shed during a rainstorm.
Newsday reports (http://nwsdy.li/2jy18cP ) that Hempstead communications employee Mike Caputo was awarded a key to the town on Wednesday for finding 16-year-old Joseph Barbella.
The teen’s father, John Barbella, says Joseph was missing for about 12 hours during a strong storm earlier this week.
Caputo heard police helicopters Tuesday morning and texted a neighbour to ask what was going on. The neighbour told him about the missing teen.
Caputo checked his shed and found Joseph sleeping on the floor. He covered the teenager with a blanket and called 911.
John Barbella thanked Caputo. He says his son is “a very lucky kid.”
___
Information from: Newsday, http://www.newsday.com
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
