ELKRIDGE, Md. — A 2-year-old boy who was missing for nearly 10 hours has been found alive on the side of Interstate 95 by a U.S. Postal worker, Howard County police said Thursday morning.
The postal worker called the police around 8 a.m. after seeing Ethan Adeyemi on the side of northbound I-95 near Maryland Route 103. He stopped and took the toddler into his vehicle until emergency responders arrived at the scene, police said.
The child was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital for treatment, but appears to be in good health, police said.
The postal worker told police he saw reports Ethan being missing and his picture. Police said Ethan walked barefoot for about a half a mile from where he lives before he was found by the postal worker.
Ethan followed an adult who was leaving his home in the 7800 block of Blue Stream Drive around 10:20 p.m. Wednesday, police said. A family member called police when they could not find him.
Police believe the toddler to be on the spectrum, but said he has not been officially diagnosed due to his age. He is non-verbal, but claps in response to his name, police said.
Local authorities, including K9 units, searched for the boy. Police aircraft, including HCPD drones and helicopters from neighboring jurisdictions, were unable to participate in the search due to weather conditions, police said.
Police had asked residents in the area to turn on their exterior lights and to check their homes.