Cheryl Chan And Katie Mercer (Calgary Herald/Canwest News Service) – The family of a 12-year-old autistic boy found dead in B. C.’s Interior is criticizing police for mishandling the investigation.
In a statement Tuesday, John Fulton’s family thanked police, but expressed concern that an Amber Alert wasn’t issued immediately and that search and rescue teams weren’t called until more than 20 hours later.
“We do not know if this could have saved Johnny’s life, nor do we wish to speculate. However, we feel strongly that any child with autism should automatically qualify as an Amber Alert,” the statement said.
“Our family knew there was no way John could have run away, because his autism would not have allowed him to go out of his comfort zone,” the release said.
The family learned about their son’s death via the Internet.
Kimberly Ruth Noyes, 42, has been arrested in connection with the death of Fulton, who vanished Saturday afternoon from his doorstep in Grand Forks, about 520 kilometres east of Vancouver. Police are treating the case as a homicide.
His body was found Monday night in Noyes’ apartment in the same housing complex where Fulton lived, ending an intensive two-day search by police and the community.
“The community is in shock,” said Grand Forks Mayor Brian Taylor. “There’s a sense of disbelief when you talk to people. There were hundreds of people out there searching the area for him, and as it turns out he was just two doors down.”
Noyes was arrested outside a local school Tuesday afternoon after police issued a public warning that she posed a danger to herself and others, due to mental illness and her emotional state.
Neighbour Roxane Erixon said police knocked on Noyes’ door Monday afternoon, but she wouldn’t let them in.
“They returned later on again in the evening with their guns pulled, but by then, she was gone,” Erixon said. “All they found was the body.”
Neighbours said Fulton was found in the basement. Police are not releasing the cause or time of death.
Erixon said Noyes suffered a bad bout of depression earlier in the year, and her two children–a boy and a girl, both preteens–went to stay with their father.
An impromptu memorial has sprung up outside Fulton’s home, with flowers, notes and teddy bears left behind to remember a boy who was last seen shoeless, reading about a video game on his front steps. A candlelight vigil was being organized Tuesday night.
Erixon said Fulton was a typical 12-year-old boy who loved riding his bike and getting into water fights.
Because of his autism, he didn’t have many friends and was more trusting than an average 12-year-old, she said.
One of Fulton’s close friends, 13-year-old Zak Wheaton, said Fulton didn’t have a lot of friends — but “what friends he did have were good friends.”
“He was pretty outgoing and funny and liked to play video games and go on his computer,” said Wheaton, adding that Fulton moved to Grand Forks from the U. S. about three years ago.
Family friend Jodie DeJong described him as a happy boy and a natural comedian who was always smiling and loved to make others smile.
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