19-year-old with intellectual disability missing in Helmond; Residents urged to help
Police have expressed concern about the disappearance of a 19-year-old in Helmond. The man, named Mick, was last seen at 3 a.m. on Friday at his home on the Edelhertlaan/Edelhertstraat in Helmond. Mick, who has an intellectual disability, is thought to have left on foot.
The police are deeply concerned about Mick’s vulnerability due to the cold weather. Snow has been reported in the Helmond/Eindhoven area today. Given that Mick is wearing only shorts and a T-shirt, he is at a life-threatening risk of hypothermia.
The Veteran Search Team has been deployed, beginning the search from Espendonk. They are supporting the police with many trained volunteers in the vicinity of Edelhertlaan and Edelhertstraat. A helicopter is also being used for the search.
The search is now concentrated in Helmond’s Brouwhuis neighborhood, close to where he was last seen at Edelhertlaan/Edelhertstraat. The Brouwhuis neighborhood is bordered by the woodland area Bakelse Bos and several waterways, including the Zuid-Willemsvaart and the Eindhovens Kanaal.
Police are asking anyone in the area to call 112 immediately if they spot Mick. Residents are also encouraged to check their gardens, sheds, and outbuildings, as he may have taken refuge from the cold. Police are also asking residents in the Rijpelberg and Brouwhuis areas to check their smart doorbell or security camera footage from 3 a.m. onwards. Even a blurry image can help establish Mick’s "direction of travel."
Authorities will be on high alert after a similar incident led to the death of a 16-year-old a few days ago. Just like Mick, Milan had an intellectual disability. The Ukrainian’s body was found in Beverwijk on Monday after an intensive search.
