YUCCA, Ariz. — An 8-year-old autistic boy who wandered away from his Southern California desert home apparently climbed onto a freight train and rode it more than 30 miles before getting off and being struck and killed by another train.
Authorities in Mohave County, Ariz., were waiting for confirmation Monday that the body found on the tracks near the community of Yucca was that of Kaden Lanphear, of Needles. But San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Jodi Miller said the clothing and description matches the boy who was reported missing Saturday morning by his father.
The engineer on a westbound BNSF Railroad train saw the boy on the tracks but could not stop before hitting him.
Miller said detectives don't believe there was any neglect and the incident was apparently a tragic accident.