16-Year-Old Boy w/ Autism Lost His Life After Being Trapped Inside Burning Home in Valenzuela City
A 16-year-old boy with autism lost his life after being trapped inside their burning home in Barangay Malanday, Valenzuela City.
The victim was identified by relatives as John Ric Hiligan, whose death left his family and neighbors in deep grief.
According to the family, the fire broke out shortly after eight in the morning while John Ric’s father was driving a jeepney for work. His mother was staying with relatives in Caloocan at the time. John Ric was left at home with his two younger siblings when the fire started.
As the flames quickly spread, the younger children tried to pull John Ric outside to safety. However, he refused to leave and stayed inside the house as it was being consumed by fire. When firefighters finally put out the flames, his body was found on the ground floor after the second floor collapsed. It was on the second floor where he was first trapped.
Initial findings suggest that the fire may have started from a lighter that John Ric often used to calm himself. The family shared that this item helped soothe him whenever he became restless.
The boy’s mother was heartbroken, sharing that the last time she saw her son was during New Year’s Eve. The family has since reached out to the city government for help with cremation and support as they try to recover from the loss and the destruction of their home.
The fire reached the first alarm level and was extinguished after nearly an hour. Four families were left homeless and are now staying in temporary modular tents provided by the barangay. The Bureau of Fire Protection is still investigating the total cost of the damage.
Barangay officials reminded parents to closely watch their children, especially those with special needs, and to make sure they are kept away from anything that could start a fire.
In another post, an autistic student graduates as summa cum laude at De La Salle University
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