Police finds missing child with autism using 'Peppa Pig' music
A police officer in China was able to locate a child with autism who had gone missing for hours by using Peppa Pig music to draw his attention.
According to a South China Morning Post report, the local police in Jiangxi province in China received a report that an eight-year-old child with autism, with the surname Lu, went missing from a residential complex.
Police Officer Xu Haozhan immediately responded to the call and searched the area.
“The child’s mother told us he has autism and some intellectual disabilities. We inquired about the child’s physical characteristics and what he was wearing, then started searching,” Xu told the local media.
He added that surveillance cameras in the building and elevator were broken, so it was hard for his team, property management, and Lu’s family to trace back where the child could have possibly gone. Since they had no leads, the team checked the rooftop and stairwells but to no avail. This went on for over six hours, extending until early morning.
Seemingly facing a dead end, Xu thought of another way to find the child. He realized that he would not respond to his name, so he resorted to getting his attention by playing Peppa Pig music, which according to his parents he enjoys watching.
“By that time it was very dark and we were getting no response when we called him, so we started playing the music and heard a very faint sound,” Xu recalled.
They eventually found and rescued Lu, who got trapped behind a three-meter wall after trying to climb the stairs to the rooftop.
Lu’s medical check-up showed that he was clear of any harm after missing for hours. He was able to return to his family safely.
Social media users commended the officer’s creative thinking for being able to rescue the child.
“It’s Peppa Pig that finally did the work thanks to the police uncle trying many methods,” one social media user said.
“This smart and quick-thinking officer has a bright future ahead of him,” another one commented.