7-year-old boy with autism who went missing in Queens reunited with mother in Manhattan

Many in the autism community say RFK Jr. is pushing harmful and regressive rhetoric about who they are

“These are kids who will never pay taxes. They’ll never hold a job. They’ll never play baseball. They’ll never write a poem. They’ll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said of people with autism.

Autistic boy, 7, who trekked alone from Queens to Midtown wanted to see Empire State Building

His stunned mom, Farjana Akond, said of son Ruwaid Karim's wild two-borough odyssey to view the iconic Manhattan skyscraper, "He was very, very close [to getting there]."

7-year-old boy with autism who went missing in Queens reunited with mother in Manhattan

The 7-year-old, who has autism and is non-verbal, went missing around 11:45 a.m. after leaving Dera Restaurant, located at 7209 in Jackson Heights, Queens.