Police from the 109th Precinct in Flushing are searching for a 48-year-old Asian man with developmental disabilities who was reported missing from his Blossom Avenue home last week.
Henry Chang, who is on the autism spectrum and went missing on Wednesday, Jan. 3, responds to his name and speaks basic English, according to his brother, Johnny Chang. Henry is also very passive.
“He has a tendency to stare at people out of curiosity, but he is not aggressive, but he will have outbursts and throw tantrums when provoked,” Chang told QNS on Monday morning. “He does not like people touching him and doesn’t like to have people around him. He likes watching sports or people playing sports and he frequently goes to Flushing Meadows Corona Park where the soccer fields are as well as the Aquatic Center.”
Henry also likes to walk northbound on College Point Boulevard towards the Shops at Skyview Mall.
“He also likes to walk around downtown Flushing and take in the sights and look in the stores and he has also ventured into the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel located on 39th Avenue between Prince and Main Street,” Chang said. “We always give him cash just in case he’s hungry and he would usually go to McDonald’s or Dunkin’ Donuts and he’s been doing this for the past 15 to 20 years but he’s been missing for five days now, and we’re worried that he is hungry and in need of medical attention.”
Henry also does not like to have his picture taken. Johnny provided an AI-generated photo of him as he looks today—based on an old images. “So, this AI picture is very similar to what he looks like now but with shorter hair closer to like a buzz cut almost,” Chang said.
“He didn’t like taking pictures and would keep to himself in his room, even during mealtimes he eats by himself.”
He was last seen at 10 a.m. on Jan. 3 wearing a navy-blue jacket with white stripes down the sleeves, blue jeans, and gray New Balance sneakers. He is 5 feet 5 inches tall with a slim build and has black hair and brown eyes with several sunspots on his face.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the 109th Precinct at 718-321-2250 or the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website, on Twitter @NYPDTips.
