Police have rescued a 9-year-old boy with autism in Avondale Heights after he travelled via the Maribyrnong River from Braybrook.
The boy was located swimming by a member of the public in the river near Peerless Court about 7.30pm on Monday, 2 January.
When police from Avondale Heights Police Station arrived a short time later, the boy appeared to be lost, exhausted on the river embankment, and struggling to communicate.
Members jumped down the river embankment to rescue the child, who was unable to walk as his legs were so numb from the cold.
They carried him around 1.5km up a steep hill to Peerless Court, where he was treated by paramedics.
It was later confirmed the boy had been reported missing from Braybrook two hours earlier.
Police would also like to thank the member of the public who spotted and reported the boy swimming in the river.
First Constable Jesse Kozak from Avondale Heights uniform police, who rescued the boy, said: "The child was not only struggling in the water, we soon realised he was also struggling to communicate and was unable to shout for help.
"He was shivering in the water, and when we managed to rescue him, he was exhausted and unable to walk. We were shocked when we realised that he was reported missing in Braybrook and had managed to travel down the river to Avondale Heights.
"I'd like to thank the member of the public who noticed the boy in the river and reported this to us. If they hadn't done this, the consequences would have been tragic."
