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LA Police Search For Missing 17-Year-Old Boy With Autism

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Authorities are searching for a 17-year-old boy with autism who ran away Monday while shopping with his family in the Westlake district.

Romario Snow De La Torre, who attends a special education program at Fairfax High School, was last seen around 4 p.m. near Sixth and Alvarado streets.

The teen, who lives on Melrose Avenue between Normandie and Western avenues in East Hollywood, might try to make his way back to familiar areas, according to an official from the Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center, who also said De La Torre needs prescription allergy medicine twice a day.

De La Torre is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, 150 pounds, with short hair and significant bald patches because he picks at and pulls out his hair, eyebrows and eyelashes.

Although Spanish is his first language, he also speaks English. He is minimally verbal and speaks in short sentences. He makes humming and clucking sounds.

De La Torre was wearing a white, short-sleeve T-shirt with a small "LACC" logo with red stripes on the sleeves, blue jeans and black shoes.

Anyone who finds him was encouraged to contact the watch commander at the LAPD's Olympic Division at (213) 382-9102 or the Rampart Division's watch commander at (213) 484-3400.

(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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