Missing 21-year-old man with autism found safe day after father found dead while hiking


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ALPINE — Police found a missing 21-year-old man safe Saturday morning a day after his father was found dead in the area of Jacob's Ladder east of Point of the Mountain.

Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said Micheal Laughlin was found safe by a search and rescue team and would be reunited with his mother later Saturday. Police said Laughlin was hiking with his father, 57-year-old Charles Laughlin, of West Jordan, when Charles Laughlin died.

Police began searching for Michael Laughlin Friday night after another hiker noticed the body of Charles Laughlin around 3:00 p.m. Friday and called police, Cannon said.

Police called Charles Laughlin's wife to notify her and she immediately asked whether her son, who is autistic, was OK, Cannon added.

Cannon said up until that point, officers had no idea Charles Laughlin had been hiking with someone else.

A search for Michael Laughlin then commenced, but was called off late Friday night and began again early Saturday morning when he was found. Cannon did not say where Michael Laughlin was when he was located.

A helicopter assisted in search efforts.

Charles Laughlin doesn't appear to have died from an accident, and foul play is not suspected, Cannon said. It's likely that he died as the result of a medical episode, the sergeant added, but investigators didn't know for sure late Friday.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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