Autistic teenager found safe after disappearing

An autistic teenage girl has been reunited with her family more than five hours after she disappeared from her High Wycombe home.

Lexie Walters was discovered by police at Rocky Pool Walk in Kalamunda, a place she had been searching on the internet prior to her disappearance.

It was Lexie’s twin sister who searched her laptop this morning, leading police to the 13-year-old.

Her step-father, Dean Ford, thanked police for their quick response and said the family was worried sick.

“The police have just done a fantastic job to find her. We need to sit down with her and find out exactly why. We have no idea. But she’s back and safe, and that’s the most important thing,” he said.

The teenager left her house at 4.45am, taking a bike with her which she later dumped because it had a flat tyre.

Her family was concerned she may have become confused, as she has the emotional age of a 6-year-old and doesn’t communicate well with people.

Police said had she gone off the bush track, it could have taken days to find her.

When she was found Lexie she was tired and thirsty, but had just a few scratches to show for her ordeal.

Police say her twin sister was the real hero.