Update: Authorities say autistic teen not missing after all

| West Seattle news | White Center

UPDATE: The autistic Burien teenager reported as missing in White Center turns out to have been safe after all, at Harborview Medical Center. King County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. John Urquhart tells WSB that the 15-year-old was found on a roadside by someone late this morning, and was actually at Harborview Medical Center long before everyone realized he was the boy that KCSO asked the public to help find. So bottom line, he’s OK. Our original story is after the jump:

Just in case he has headed this way … we are crossposting this story that is already up on our White Center site: A search is under way for 15-year-old Frank Nguyen, described as autistic and all but unable to communicate, last seen this morning at Evergreen Aquatic Center in White Center, about a mile from his home in Burien. The King County Sheriff’s Office says: “Frank is about 160 lbs., 5’ 7” and medium build. He was wearing a BB hat, white polo shirt with a long sleeve shirt underneath and blue jeans.” KCSO asks that you call 911 if you see him.

RG January 4, 2012 (4:10 pm)

I hope he is found soon.
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Everyone; please cross-post to your social media accounts. I just know our communities can locate this kid.

WSB January 4, 2012 (4:14 pm)

You can either use Share This (at the end of every WSB story – it gives you options including multiple social-media/bookmarking services, and also e-mail options too) to do that, or you can share from the posts we’ve already put on the WSB Facebook page:
http://facebook.com/westseattleblog
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and Twitter account
http://twitter.com/westseattleblog
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Hoping to hear good news from the sheriff. – TR

RG January 4, 2012 (4:14 pm)

He’s been found, according to another outlet.
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I hope he recovers ok from his ordeal and that he wasn’t harmed in any way.

WSB January 4, 2012 (4:24 pm)

It actually was a tweet from the King County Sheriff’s Office.
https://twitter.com/kingcosoPIO/status/154712074755387392
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My monitoring system needs a tweak. But I just clarified with them what had happened – and he actually wasn’t even technically missing by the time they put out the call for help. Adding to the story. – TR

celeste17 January 4, 2012 (4:43 pm)

Hi TR-
Was it John U who gave the statement? Or Cindy West? I thought John retired.

WSB January 4, 2012 (4:46 pm)

John was helping Cindi out today, per e-mail. He sent out all the news releases on this short-lived case. I spoke to him by phone – for the first time in a long time! So it was a bit confusing; he had announced the case and given his phone number, but Cindi then sent the “he’s safe” tweet. Whatever the case – he’s safe! – TR

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