FOUND SAFE: 5-year-old child with autism found safe after hours-long search in Kennedy Township
BEGINS WITH BREAKING NEWS. THAT BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT AT 6:00. ALLEGHENY POLICE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP TONIGHT. FINDING A MISSING FIVE YEAR OLD BOY WITH AUTISM. WE’D LIKE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN. THIS IS JEDEDIAH JACKSON. POLICE SAY HE IS NONVERBAL. HE WAS LAST SEEN JUST BEFORE NOON TODAY AT STO-ROX PRIMARY CENTER, WHICH IS ON EWING ROAD IN KENNEDY TOWNSHIP. THEY SAY HE WAS WEARING A BLACK LONG SLEEVE FLEECE AND KHAKI PANTS. POSSIBLY WAS ALSO CARRYING A GREEN DINOSAUR TOY. IF YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS, THEY ASK THAT YOU CALL 911. LET’S GO OUT LIVE TO REPORTER JORDAN CIOPPA IN KENNEDY TOWNSHIP, JORDAN. WHAT HAVE OFFICIALS TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS SEARCH SO FAR? MIKE KELLY, MULTIPLE AGENCIES ARE HERE OUTSIDE OF STO-ROX PRIMARY CENTER SEARCHING ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR FOR THIS MISSING KINDERGARTEN STUDENT, JEDIDIAH JACKSON. NOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TELL US DRONES ARE PLAYING A RECORDING OF HIS MOTHER’S VOICE TO HELP BRING HIM HOME. HE IS NON-VERBAL AUTISTIC. THAT’S WHY WE UTILIZE THE RECORDING SO HE WOULDN’T BE AFRAID. HE WOULD BE AFRAID IF APPROACHED BY STRANGERS. ACCORDING TO ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE, STO-ROX PRIMARY CENTER REPORTED FIVE YEAR OLD JEDIDIAH JACKSON MISSING AROUND 1150 THIS MORNING AFTER CONDUCTING A FULL SEARCH OF THE SCHOOL. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE KINDERGARTEN STUDENT WAS LAST SEEN IN THE PLAYGROUND AREA DURING A SUPERVISED RECESS BEFORE HE WANDERED OFF. WE’RE TOLD OFFICERS ARE SEARCHING THE WOODS AND CANVASING SURROUNDING AREAS. DRONES AND STATE POLICE HELICOPTER ARE ALSO IN USE. CITY OF PITTSBURGH POLICE KENNEDY TOWNSHIP POLICE, PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE AND OTHER AGENCIES AND VOLUNTEER GROUPS ARE ASSISTING IN THE SEARCH, AND THEY’RE ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC’S HELP TO CHECK YOUR RING CAMERAS, CHECK YOUR BACKYARDS, SHEDS, POOLS, ANYWHERE WHERE A CHILD WOULD GO. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO DO. THE STO-ROX SCHOOL DISTRICT ISSUING A STATEMENT SAYING IN PART, QUOTE, THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY. COUNSELORS ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF WHO MAY BE AFFECTED. NOW, POLICE SAY RIVER RESCUE WAS DEPLOYED, BUT AT THIS TIME, THERE’S NO REASON TO BELIEVE HE’S IN THE RIVER. THEY SAY THEY’RE ALSO LOOKING INTO A POSSIBLE UNCONFIRMED SIGHTING. NOW, IF ANYONE SEES JEDIDIAH. JEDIDIAH JACKSON. EXCUSE ME. THEY ARE ASKED TO CALL 911 COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN KENNED
FOUND SAFE: 5-year-old child with autism found safe after hours-long search in Kennedy Township
Updated: 7:35 PM EDT Sep 2, 2025
Officials say after an hours-long search, they have located the missing child who wandered off from school in Allegheny County Tuesday afternoon.In an updated post from Allegheny County Police, officials said 5-year-old Jedadiah Jackson was found shortly before 7:30 p.m. WATCH VIDEO OF PREVIOUS COVERAGE IN PLAYFINDER ABOVE Jackson was reported missing just before noon Tuesday after officials said he went missing from recess at Sto-Rox Primary Center on Ewing Road in Kennedy Township.County police said on scene that after five hours of searching for the child, he was located in the woods near the school by a drone operated by city officials. We’re told he was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
KENNEDY TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
Officials say after an hours-long search, they have located the missing child who wandered off from school in Allegheny County Tuesday afternoon.
In an updated post from Allegheny County Police, officials said 5-year-old Jedadiah Jackson was found shortly before 7:30 p.m.
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#Update: Jedadiah has been found safe!
Thank you to all of the first responders who assisted, our media partners for helping get the word out, and everyone that shared across these platforms.
— Allegheny County PD (@AlleghenyCoPD) September 2, 2025
WATCH VIDEO OF PREVIOUS COVERAGE IN PLAYFINDER ABOVE
Jackson was reported missing just before noon Tuesday after officials said he went missing from recess at Sto-Rox Primary Center on Ewing Road in Kennedy Township.
County police said on scene that after five hours of searching for the child, he was located in the woods near the school by a drone operated by city officials.
We’re told he was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.