Missing autistic boy killed on US 60 - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

A missing 9-year-old autistic boy was killed after a vehicle hit him on U.S. 60 near Gilbert Road, police said. 

Au-Juna Banks -Taylor had been reported missing around 6:30 p.m. Saturday.  Just before 8 p.m., police said the child was hit by a car. He had wandered nearly four miles to the freeway, police said.

"No one knew where he went because he was a 9-year-old boy. Where is he going to go and how does he end up way over there? You know it is just sad," said Darius Markham, who lives near the Banks-Taylor family.

The boy was taken to Cardon's Children Hospital, but Mesa Fire Department paramedics said he did not survive.

The driver involved stayed on the scene. Police said he was not impaired.

When DPS officers first arrived on the scene, they noticed the boy standing in the second lane of traffic with cars swerving to avoid hitting him, according to DPS spokesman Bart Graves.

Several vehicles pulled over to try to get the get the child to come to the side of the road, Graves said. The child put his hands over his ears and moments later was hit, Graves said. 

Police said Banks-Taylor does have a history of wandering off and his family just moved into a new apartment.

Many in the complex said they did not know the little boy well, but he was always outside playing and was a wonderful kid.

"I always saw him running around with other kids, he was always happy. Every time I saw him around he had a smile on his face." Markham said.

Copyright 2012 CBS 5 (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.