A missing man who has the mental capacity of a young child has been found safe 24 hours after he disappeared from his Thorncliffe neighbourhood.
Mahmood Awais, 19, was reported missing Monday afternoon after he wandered away from his east-end Toronto home. Police initiated a level three search -- the most urgent response available -- to help find him.
A passerby who saw news reports about Awais's disappearance was inside a coffee shop in the Midland and Steeles Avenues area when he saw the missing teen.
The good samaritan approached Awais but had trouble communicating with him, according to Toronto Police Const. Tony Vella. That's when police were called.
The teen's father told reporters early Tuesday afternoon that his son functions at the level of a five-year-old and has a limited vocabulary.
Vella said police are now investigating the circumstances around the disappearance.
Awais was dropped off after school Monday at around 1:30 p.m. but his parents were not there to greet him like they usually do. The young man's father said he and his wife were unaware that Awais's special needs school was ending early for the day and therefore had prepared to be home at the usual time of 4 p.m. to greet their son.
When Awais didn't show up, his parents called the school bus company and were told about the early drop off.
The teen has a history of wandering away and is known to have a fascination with bike riding.
"His favourite thing is to go out and keep going, keep going," Awais's father said in broken English. "He loves bicycles."
On Oct. 14, Awais took a bike from the neighbourhood and rode away until someone found him hours later.
Police said that this time, they were particularly concerned for the teen's safety because of a cold front that is predicted to settle over Toronto Tuesday night.
Temperatures are expected to dip to -7C.
