22-04-2025
Missing autistic man from Ludlow found using Project Lifesaver program
LUDLOW, Mass. (WWLP) – Ludlow police officers were able to reunite a man with autism with his family Monday afternoon with the help of the Hampden County Sheriff's Office and a program meant to help wandering individuals.
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The Hampden County Sheriff's Office (HSCO) said that at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Monday, they received a report that the man was missing from his home on Orchard Street. The man is enrolled in Project Lifesaver, which is run by Sheriff Nick Cocchi's TRIAD Division and was created to help track those with cognitive conditions if they go missing.
The Ludlow Police Department was provided with the man's information and description by the HSCO, and officers successfully located him within an hour while the Electronic Search and Rescue Team were on its way.
'Few things are more terrifying for a family than having a loved one with a cognitive condition go missing,' Cocchi said. 'I'm incredibly grateful to our team and the Ludlow officers for their swift response and teamwork that brought this young man home safely.'
Through the Project Lifesaver program, participants wear trackable bracelets that emit radio frequency signals. If they wander and go missing, law enforcement are able to use the signal to quickly locate them.
The program launched in 2021 and has been successful in safely returning residents in Hampden County who have autism, dementia, and other cognitive conditions. For more information on the program, call the Sheriff's TRIAD Program at 413-858-0060.
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