The search is on for an 18-year-old teen with autism who walked out of his school in Reseda last Friday, leaving his family desperate for answers.
Missing Report and Family Concerns
Junior Saavedra, a student at the Diane S. Leichman Career Preparatory and Transition Center, has not been seen since he left the school premises. Following his disappearance, the Los Angeles Police Department has classified Junior as a critical missing person, intensifying the search efforts.
Maria Saavedra, Junior’s mother, is expressing her frustration over how the situation was handled by the school. She recounts that the school first contacted her to ask if her son had come home, only to inform her later that he had left school grounds. Upon arriving at the school, she was told that Junior went missing around 11:20 a.m., yet they only contacted her at 12:59 p.m., and police did not arrive until 1:20 p.m.
Public Appeal for Information
“All I want is for him to show up. Please help me. If you’ve seen him, call me, let me know because I’m so worried about him,” Maria shared in Spanish, highlighting her emotional turmoil. She had believed that Junior would be safe at the specialized school, which caters to children with autism and other disabilities. Despite his age, she notes that he has the cognitive ability of a four-year-old.
At the time he went missing, Junior was wearing light gray sweatpants, a blue long-sleeve shirt layered with a white T-shirt, and a black Dodgers hat. His family is urging anyone who may have information regarding his whereabouts to come forward and contact law enforcement.
