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Newport Beach Police Try To Identify Couple Who Battered Teen With Autism

NEWPORT BEACH (CBSLA.com) — Newport Beach Police are hoping the public can identify a couple they say committed battery on a teen with autism.

Police responded to the 1800 block of Balboa Boulevard last Saturday around 7:25 p.m. on a battery call.

Authorities said 16-year-old male with autism was seated in the back seat of a parked vehicle at that location. At the time of the incident, his mother was inside a nearby home and two adult companions were seated outside the residence.

The juvenile was using an iPad to take several photos of the area. Two passers-by (a man and a woman) became upset when the teen photographed them.

The woman approached the vehicle and allegedly began yelling at the juvenile before proceeding to push him multiple times.

Alerted to the altercation by the woman's raised voice, the boy's mother and two adult companions approached the vehicle and attempted to intervene. They said they explained that the juvenile has autism and routinely entertains himself by taking photographs with the iPad.

When one adult called for police assistance, the woman and her male companion began to walk eastbound on Balboa Boulevard, returning to yell at the group once more before leaving the area.

The suspects were described as a white female with long dark blonde hair, approximately 24-27 years old. She is between 5 foot 4 inches and 5 foot 5 inches tall and 125-130 pounds. She was last seen wearing an olive green jacket and cropped black leggings.

He was described as a white with dark hair and facial hair, approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall to 6 feet 2 inches and between 200-220 pounds. He was last seen wearing jeans and a Newport Beach lifeguard novelty T-shirt. (It has been verified that the subject is not affiliated with Newport Beach lifeguards.)

Anyone with information that can assist us in this case is asked to contact Detective Rick Henry at 949-644-3790 or rhenry@nbpd.org.

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