Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Parsa Naimi

Daniela DE MARTINO (Monbulk) (13:23): On 18 April a six-year-old boy named Parsa went missing from Olinda play space around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Parsa has autism and is non-verbal. In the blink of an eye he wandered into the Dandenong Ranges National Park. His mother Sahar was beside herself. She described to me how her worst nightmare had come true. Not long after, a multiagency search began to find this little boy lost in the bush. Local police, the air wing, the search and rescue unit and the dog squad joined the large-scale search, which was supported by the SES, the CFA and a huge turnout of local community members, who gave up hours into the night to search for Parsa. Around 200 people joined in that search. Our community held its breath, only exhaling when news got out around 16 hours later that Parsa had been found, tired but well, at 8:15 Saturday morning by a young local man, Asher Shinkfield, who contacted police and sat with Parsa until the paramedics arrived. Sahar expressed to me just how grateful she was. She said:

People I had never met brought us clothes, toys for Parsa’s twin sister, warm homemade cakes, food, water, and hearts full of love.

I’ve always known I was lucky to call Australia home, but this experience showed me just how extraordinary this country’s people truly are.

To the young man who found Parsa, sat beside him, and gave him water – I’m so deeply grateful for you.

I too would like to thank every single person who helped in the search for Parsa – Victoria Police, the SES and CFA volunteers and the community – as well as Asher for finding and caring for him until rescuers arrived. We truly are at our best when we come together, and I am proud to be the member for this extraordinary community.