A Middletown family is speaking out after a man with autism was reported missing at age 20 and later found at a homeless shelter in Boston, a situation they say highlights serious gaps in how authorities respond to vulnerable adults.
Antonio Price was reported missing from Middletown in late November. His mother, Khadijah Segia Muhammad, said days passed with no information about where her son was or whether he was safe.
“It’s been the worst nightmare for any family,” Muhammad said.
On Dec. 3, police announced Antonio had been located at a shelter in a neighboring state. Muhammad said authorities later told the family only that he had been found at a shelter out of state and that they could not provide additional details because Antonio was legally an adult at the time.
Antonio has since turned 21.
Police have said he appears to be at the shelter of his own free will and, because of his age, there is nothing further they can do.
But his family strongly disagrees.
“My son is in danger,” Muhammad said. “He is in a space where he might be getting certain things, but a shelter is a shelter. Living among homeless people and people that have lived on the street for an extended period of time is not something he’s used to.”
According to the family, police would not identify the specific facility where Antonio was staying. Desperate for answers, they say they hired a private investigator, who ultimately traced Antonio to a men’s homeless shelter in Boston.
The family says they still do not know how Antonio traveled from Middletown to Boston.
Muhammad later visited the shelter and said that while it offers structure and services, she believes it is not a safe or appropriate environment for her son given his disabilities.
Muhammad and Antonio’s aunt say he has autism and other health issues and should be considered a vulnerable adult. They say they have not been able to speak with him directly or hear him confirm that staying at the shelter is his decision.
“My concern is whether or not Antonio could call us or speak to us directly to let us know this is his decision,” said his aunt, Andrea Batts.
Muhammad showed News 12 her son’s bedroom, which she says was left exactly as he normally kept it.
“This is his room,” she said.
She says Antonio left behind his keys, wallet, and identification — something she says is completely out of character for him.
“He left his keys, his wallet with his ID,” Muhammad said. “Why would you do that? Where does the idea come from that he needs to disappear?”
The family says Antonio had talked about wanting more independence and had expressed frustration about limitations caused by his disability. They say they were actively helping him apply for disability benefits so he could eventually live on his own through a structured and supported process.
They say abruptly leaving home, traveling across state lines, and cutting off contact does not align with how he normally functions.
Middletown police say their hands are tied under current law because Antonio is an adult and appears to have left home on his own.
Muhammad says that response ignores her son’s disability and leaves the family feeling powerless.
“We are asking for discretion,” she said. “This is a young man who is developmentally disabled and is unable to make decisions on his own.”
News 12 has reached out to the Boston shelter where Antonio’s family says he is staying for information and in an effort to speak with him directly, but has not heard back.