Crime & Safety

Kelly Says NYPD Would Likely Make 'Adjustments' in Search for Autistic Teen

Police said they are still searching for a Rego Park youth who was last seen on Oct. 4.

The city’s Police Department is still searching for an autistic teen from Rego Park who has been missing for more than two weeks, but Commissioner Ray Kelly said the agency would likely have to make “adjustments” to its resources this week.

Avonte Oquendo, who cannot communicate verbally, was last seen on Oct. 4 after having left the Riverview School in Long Island City.

As of Tuesday, the reward for anyone who can provide information leading to the youth’s safe return has grown to $90,000.

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Kelly said the NYPD would continue the search for Oquendo, but he told NY 1 that the department might have to make some changes in its approach.

“We’re still devoting a lot of resources to the search,” Kelly told NY 1. “We’ll have to make adjustments as far as the deployment of the amount of resources we have. We’ll do that some time during the week if we’re unsuccessful.”

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Oquendo’s family said it will keep up the search and has called for volunteers to assist.

The teenager is five-feet-three-inches and 125 pounds. He was last seen wearing a grey striped shirt, black jeans and black sneakers.

Oquendo’s family has filed a claim to sue the city and school on the grounds that the teen was not properly supervised.

The family has set up a search base on 51st Avenue and Center Boulevard in Long Island City.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-TIPS.


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