Amber Alert called off, teen with autism found safe in Madison Heights

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WJBK) - An Amber Alert issued early Wednesday morning for a 17-year-old who wandered away from the Meijer in Madison Heights has been canceled. The Amber Alert was issued around 6 a.m., but authorities say the boy, Dion Gardner, was found safe just before 6:30 a.m.

Police say the family was shopping at the Meijer on 13 Mile Road near Dequindre Road around 1:30 a.m. when Dion got upset with them and left the store. Authorities searched overnight and eventually the Amber Alert was issued.

Authorities and Dion's family were concernened about his absence because they say he has autism, and has limited verbal abaility and mental capacity.

FOX 2's Robin Murdoch was at the Madison Heights Police Department, and she says the parents arrived there with Dion in the backseat, giving a thumbs up.

He was found in a shopping plaza about a mile away from the Meijer.

"We saw him walking, and we just told him to come on, get in the car," says Dion's stepfather, Payton Rhodes. "At first he looked at us, he was kind of stunned at first. He was so happy to see us, and then he got in the car."

The family says the first thing on the agenda will be getting some sleep and then making Dion's favorite - ramen noodles.