January 20, 2024
Shawn Ward takes medication several times a day because he’s diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome.
A disabled 17-year-old boy has gone missing in DeKalb County in Atlanta, Georgia. The non-verbal teen, Shawn Ward, regularly takes medication and is considered a high priority for authorities in the area.
DeKalb police, as reported by Fox 5 Atlanta, explained that he was last seen on Jan. 18 at 9 p.m. near the 1000 block of North Hairston Road in Decatur.
Ward is around 5 feet tall and weighs 134 pounds, according to his family. The clothes that he was last seen wearing were a black sweatshirt that read “Billion Status” on the front of it, gray sweatpants, and a pair of gold Nike sneakers with no laces.
Ward is required to take medication several times a day because he’s been diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome. The teen has the IQ of a child aged 7 to 9 despite being 17.
The DeKalb Police Department reiterated important information on their Facebook page and again requested help in locating the boy. They wrote, “Help us find Shawn Ward, 17, who was last seen 1/18 at his home near 1000 N. Hairston Rd in Stone Mountain. He’s 5ft, 134 Ibs. w/ brown eyes & black hair. He was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with ‘Billionaire Status’ on the front, gray sweatpants, & Nike sneakers with no laces. If you see him call 911 or SVU at 770-724-7710. #WeAreDKPD.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fragile X Syndrome, or FXS, is a genetic disorder that causes a protein deficiency in a child. Although both boys and girls can experience the disorder, it tends to be more severe in boys. Symptoms of FXS include “Developmental delays like not sitting, walking, or talking at the same time as other children the same age), learning disabilities, and social and behavior problems.
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