Officials are praising efforts of volunteers, law enforcement and emergency personnel who found a missing autistic juvenile in Sumter County.
Peyton Pickard was the subject of an enormous search that included Sumter County Fire Rescue, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and numerous volunteers.
The area around the Withlacoochee River was the location of the search. Pickard was found after an 18-hour effort.
Sumter County Undersheriff Pat Breeden, in a press conference, said that Pickard was faring well and being checked out by medical professionals. He was dehydrated and covered with bug bites, as he was found neck deep in the swamp.
The undersheriff said the search was challenging.
“The terrain was terrible,” Breeden said.
Sumter County commissioners praised the efforts of the professionals as well as the volunteers.
“It was good to watch the cooperation between all of the agencies,” said Commissioner Andrew Bilardello, who went down and observed the efforts taking place.
Commissioner Jeff Bogue also offered praise for those involved in the search.
“There were a tremendous amount of volunteers traipsing around in the swamp,” Bogue said.
