Newport Beach police seek help identifying man, woman who pushed teen with autism

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Authorities are asking for the public's help identifying a man and woman who accosted a teenager with autism because he took photos of them with his iPad in Newport Beach.

Around 7:25 p.m. on Sept. 17, Newport Beach officers responded to the 1800 block of Balboa Boulevard on reports of battery. Police said a 16-year-old boy who has autism was sitting in the backseat of a car that was parked along a curb.

The teen's mother was outside of a nearby home with two friends, police said. While the teen was in the car, he took photos of the area with his iPad.

A man and woman were walking by and became upset when the teenager took a photo of them, police said. The woman then walked up to the kid, yelled at him and pushed him multiple times.

The teen's mother and two friends heard the woman yelling and approached her and the man to intervene in the altercation. They told the man and woman that the teen has autism and entertains himself by taking photos with his iPad.

When one of the adults called the police, the pair came back to yell at the group before heading eastbound down Balboa Boulevard.

The woman was described as having long dark blonde hair, between 24 to 27 years old, standing 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing about 125 to 131 pounds. She was last seen wearing an olive green jacket and cropped black leggings.

The man was described as having dark hair with facial hair, standing about 6 feet 1 inch tall to 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 200 to 220 pounds. He was last seen wearing a Newport Beach Lifeguard novelty T-shirt.

Authorities said anyone with information was asked to call Detective Rick Henry at (949) 644-3790.