Bethlehem police and firefighters rescued a missing girl Tuesday night near the Lehigh River.
Officers went to the girl’s home about 7:15 p.m. after her mother reported that she had not been seen for about 45 minutes, the police department said in a news release. The girl is autistic and had no history of running away from home.
While searching the area near the home, officers received a separate call from a resident along Brighton Street that a girl was screaming for help near the railroad trestle, police said. They went to the area and began searching both sides of the Lehigh River, including areas near the Fahy Bridge and the Hill-to-Hill Bridge.
Eventually they found the girl underneath the railroad trestle near the river.
The fire department’s water rescue team responded and rescued her from the area. She was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation, according to the release.