Six-year-old autistic

Child missing: search with fireworks and balloons

Little Arian has been missing since Monday evening in a village near Hamburg.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/dpa/Peter Kneffel, Polizeiinspektion Rotenburg, Krone KREATIV)

A six-year-old autistic child has been missing in northern Germany since the beginning of the week - the search for the boy is proving difficult because he does not respond to being spoken to and cannot articulate himself. The emergency services have already used fireworks and balloons to lure the child out of his possible hiding place. So far, unfortunately, without success. 

The boy from Bremervörde (Lower Saxony) has been missing since Monday evening. Hundreds of emergency services and volunteers have been searching the area around Arian's home ever since. According to the police, the child, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, does not respond when his name is called: "We have to search very closely because we have to assume that he won't answer by himself." The emergency services are therefore using unconventional methods to try and find Arian.

Balloons and sweets were hung up
Fireworks were set off on Thursday because the boy really likes them, as a police spokesperson explained. At the parents' request, balloons and sweets were also hung up in a house adjacent to his family home. "The boy really liked them," said the spokesperson for the executive. Wildlife cameras were also installed to detect the boy when he approaches the lures. 

Skybeamer to attract boys
Garages and garbage cans were also searched thoroughly. Garbage collection was canceled on Friday and manhole covers were opened. Children's songs were also played in the search area. A skybeamer was also used: this projects a cone of light in the sky and is intended to use the songs as an incentive for Arian to visit these places.

Footprint found near river
So far, there are few clues as to the whereabouts of the missing child. "We found footprints yesterday evening that could belong to Arian," said a police spokesman early Thursday morning. "This gives us a possible direction in which Arian could be heading. The dogs have picked up a scent." The trail led along a river. The boy likes water - so it is quite possible that he followed the water. A pond near the river was searched by divers, but without bringing any new tracks to light. 

Due to the low temperatures and Adrian's rather light clothing, the emergency services are particularly alarmed. The boy was wearing a sweater and socks, but no jacket or shoes when he disappeared. Drones, a helicopter and a Tornado aircraft were also deployed. The aircraft took thermal images from the air.