JERTIH: An autistic man who was reported missing after leaving his home on Thursday (Nov 28), was found drowned in a tributary of Sungai Keluang Hilir, near SM Imtiaz Besut at Kampung Raja near here on Saturday (Nov 30) morning.
Acting Besut police chief DSP Md Sani Md Saleh said police were tipped off by the public about the discovery of a body later identified as Muhammad Helmi Azman, 26, at 11.44am.
"The victim's body was found stuck on a tree branch in the creek and the victim is believed to have died more than 24 hours based on the decay of the body," he said in a statement today while informing that police have classified the case as sudden death.
He said police previously received a missing persons report from the victim's mother stating that her son had left home at Taman Pesiaran Limbongan about one kilometre (km) from where the body was eventually found.
According to the victim's mother, Senah Othman, 64, her son left the house between 2.30pm and 4pm on Thursday while she was asleep.
"My son suffers from severe autism because he is unable to speak and if he sneaks out, he does not know his way back home.
"Since his disappearance, the villagers and our family have been searching high and low every day, but he was found today in a lifeless state," she said when met at Besut Hospital here on Saturday. - Bernama
