PLANO, Texas - Plano Police Department says the coordinated efforts of officers, firefighters, and volunteer search teams helped save a missing 13-year-old autistic girl who was found suffering from hypothermia inside a drainage tunnel earlier this month.
According to police, officers responded May 5 to the 6700 block of Preston Meadows Drive in Plano after the teen disappeared during a band performance at a local middle school.
Investigators said the girl, identified only as Anniston, became overwhelmed and overstimulated by the loud environment after not having her noise-canceling headphones with her.
She reportedly received permission to step outside the concert area, but authorities later discovered she had left the campus without notifying anyone.
Extensive Search Launched
Officers immediately began reviewing surveillance footage to determine the girl’s direction of travel and launched a large-scale search involving:
- Patrol officers
- Foot searches
- Drones
Police said weather conditions raised additional concerns due to temperatures in the 50s, windy conditions, and the possibility of rain.
Additional resources were requested, including assistance from Lone Star Search and Rescue, a nonprofit group specializing in locating missing persons using trained volunteers and search dogs.
Search Dog Alerted Near Drainage Tunnel
One of the search dogs alerted investigators to a series of drainage tunnels near Preston Meadows Drive and Legacy Drive.
Police said Tesillo entered the tunnel system and located the teen unresponsive and suffering from hypothermia.
With assistance from Plano Fire-Rescue, crews safely removed the girl from the tunnel and transported her to Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Police credited the combined efforts of officers, firefighters, volunteers, and search dogs with preventing what could have become a tragedy.
The department also thanked Lone Star Search and Rescue volunteers and Plano Fire-Rescue personnel for their teamwork during the hours-long search.
