Police have found an autistic teen who had been missing for more than 24 hours.
Stephen Liu, 14, was last seen Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at Zion Heights Junior High School, located at 5900 Leslie St. near Finch Avenue East. He was located Wednesday afternoon just after 4 p.m.
Tony Riviere, Unit Commander for 33 Division, told CP24.com that officers spotted the boy in a strip mall in the area of Brimley Road and Sheppard Avenue.
Riviere said the boy was found in good condition and has been reunited with his family.
Liu's disappearance sparked a level three search Wednesday afternoon. That meant officers from other divisions helped with the search, including officers from the mounted unit.
When the Grade 9 student didn't return home from school, distraught family members and police issued an alert to the media, saying they were very concerned for his safety. The boy was characterized as someone who is shy, introverted, quiet and unlikely to seek help.
Earlier Wednesday, Liu's mother broke down in tears as she issued a message to her son during a brief interview with CTV Toronto outside the family's home.
"I love you, I want you to come home soon and safe," Liu's mother said.
Investigators had checked with Liu's friends, but they provided no leads about his whereabouts.
Police were asking people to check their properties for any sign of the missing teen.
Police had said it was extremely unusual for Liu to go missing. He got lost when he was heading home from school a year ago, but he was found safe an hour later.
