A nine-year-old boy with autism, who travelled from Braybrook to Avondale Heights, was rescued from the embankment of the Maribyrnong River on Monday night.
The boy was located swimming by a member of the public in the river near Peerless Court about 7.30pm.
When police 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 1.5 kilometres 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.
First Constable Jesse Kozak 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.”
